How to make customers feel like they are getting VIP treatment on Social Media

In the lightning fast world of Social Media, a customer complaint can tarnish a company's reputation, but on the flip side a customer compliment can make sure your company is the brightest star in the networking skyline.

In contemporary society, success for a company derives from the result of being very customer-centric. With this in mind customers can interact with rival companies at any time of the day or night through email or any of the available social networking resources online. This requires companies to push their brand, and make their existing customer database feel special whilst reeling in new customers who see the acts of benevolence. This is why customer relationship management is now re-focusing on social media, because if a company is not on a social media networking site, it doesn't mean they aren't active, but their customer database is in this big pool of fish, whilst other firms cast their rods into the water.

Social Media allows companies to build strong relationships with their customers, and with this 5-step guide, your current customer database will feel as if they are fit for the consumer red carpet:

1. Reply: A reply in the world of social networking does not just mean entering in direct dialogue with a customer anymore. A customer will feel very appreciative of a simple “Like” or “retweet” and although this is associated with a positive interaction, companies can also make their customers feel special off the back of a complaint. Various complaints appear on the official pages of big companies on the likes of Facebook and Twitter, and acknowledging that they are being dealt with personally will go a very long way. It gives the customer a sense of human sympathy in a world where a lot of companies tend to avoid this type of contact.

2. Enter the Blogosphere: Connecting with customers on an official company blog will create a sense of community amongst everyone in connection with the business. This may be to explain a certain idea that the company is looking to take to the market, or to ask for feedback on a current product/idea. Most people gather the impression that companies are corporate machines that run in a way that doesn't take the customer in to consideration at all, but by being in direct dialogue over the internet, this assumption will change very quickly.

3. Exclusive deals for repeat customers: Posting exclusive deals online are a way to blast a company into the headlines as good deals circulate very quickly. A good way of making current customers feel special is to offer them exclusive deals via social networking. Not only do the current clientele show gratitude, and let their peers know about this great offer, their peers will then want to commit to the company in order for their brand loyalty to be rewarded with this kind of deal once again.

4. Share informative content: The whole reason of businesses utilising social media is to push the brand to a new level, but there is a need to entertain over the web, as there is a requirement to keep people interested in a world of high modernity. This means that the content shared on the likes of Google+ and Twitter needs to be informative and customer friendly. These include tips on using a product supplied by the company, industry news and customer case studies. This will make your customers know they have invested in an intelligent and worthwhile brand, and in turn this will make the customer feel good about themselves as there will be a sense of accomplishment.

5. Say Thank You: This is the simplest yet the one which strikes at the heart of an individual. Social networking has led the working industry to be more intricate in its dealings with customers online, but sometimes a simple thank you is all that required to put a smile on a customers face. Show gratitude that they have invested in the company and word will spread that the company is a one worth committing to as a consumer.

These 5 steps will go a long way in ensuring that not only will the existing customer database will feel special, but also new people will be attracted upon seeing that the firm is driven by the happiness of its customers.

In an age where we are undoubtedly children of the social networking phenomenon, it is crucial for companies to make sure that they use these tools in order to please its clientele whilst attracting the attention from potential new customers.

Alex Smith

Alex is an English Literature and Sociology undergraduate whose love for written word has led him to write about some obscure topics in his time. Currently a content writer at Social Media Frontiers, be sure to follow him @AlexSatSMF.

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