How to Create a Social Support Team for Free
Do you have customers seeking support via social media?
Are people talking about your company online?
Many companies simply can’t afford to hire a social support team.
So what are your options to manage these conversations with little to no resources?
Keep reading for tips on how you can create a free or low-cost social support team.
Why You Need a Social Support Team
The NM Incite 2012 State of Social Customer Support Report shows that 47% of social media users are turning to social care.
For those who think their customers aren’t using social media, the 2013 Infinite Dial Report from Edison Research revealed that 62% of Americans have a social media profile on one or more social networks, up from 56% in 2012.
Further, the number of casual social media users is declining. “Approximately 71 million Americans check their social networks several times a day, up from 58 million in 2012.”
Research shows 71 million Americans have the social habit.
Whether companies are ready or not, customer service requests on social media networks are coming. 
6 Ways to Use Reddit to Grow Your Business
Have you used Reddit?
The popular website Reddit goes by the slogan, “The front page to the Internet.”
It has earned this name by creating a platform that allows users with similar interests to discuss and curate the best content on the web.
Let’s have a look at a few popular communities on Reddit.
Reddit is a popular social news platform where users submit and comment on content.
What Is Reddit?
Reddit is a social news platform that allows users to discuss and vote on content that other users have submitted. To help police the site and prevent spammers from bombarding readers, Reddit came up with “karma” points.
How to Generate More Opportunity From Existing Customers
In this video I interview Becky Carroll, who is the author of the great new book, The Hidden Power of Your Customers.
Becky shares the story and meaning behind her “ROCK” strategy and why it is so important to focus on your existing customers.
Be sure to check out the takeaways below after you watch the video.
10 Ways to Deal With Upset Customers Using Social Media
How are you responding to upset customers?
No matter what you sell or what industry you’re in, you’re going to experience negative word of mouth.
You know, those customers who are expressing their complaints on social media.
It just happens.
Things break, problems come up and employees have bad days. But it’s how you handle it that separates you from everyone else.
Remember: Negative word of mouth is an opportunity.
A great response strategy can convert angry and upset customers into loyal, raving fans. The rule of thumb is that while unhappy customers talk to 5 people, formerly unhappy customers you win back talk to 10.
So get out there and embrace the negativity. Start responding. Here are 10 steps you can take to stop the negative, earn new fans and generate a ton of respect.
How Social Media Has Changed Customer Service
In this video I interview Peter Shankman, founder of Help a Reporter Out (HARO), vice-president of Vocus and author of Customer Service: New Rules for a Social Media World.
Peter shares the story of HARO and how customer service has evolved and gives insights into the best practices on how to engage with your customers on social media.
You’ll learn what you need to know to create a strong customer-service culture on social media.
Be sure to check out the takeaways below after you watch the video.
How Wells Fargo Tracks Twitter Interactions
In this video I interview Kimarie Matthews, vice president of social web for Wells Fargo.
Kimarie shares how Wells Fargo uses Twitter to improve customer support. You’ll also discover how she documents Twitter interactions to monitor customer sentiment and uses the data to develop a business case for social media investment.
Be sure to check out the takeaways below after you watch the video.
26 Tips for Adding Customer Service to Your Social Media Strategy
Do you need a plan to add customer service to your social strategies?
As Jeremiah Owyang states, “as internal and external demands mount, companies become mostly reactive, relegating themselves to a ‘Social Media Help Desk’.”
With strategy, planning and communication you can ensure that your company won’t be caught off guard. If the day hasn’t come yet when your social media team is thrust into fielding customer-service problems, it’s fair to say that it’s just a matter of time before they will be.
In this post, the seventh installment in the A-Z guides published here on Social Media Examiner, I’ll discuss the importance of developing an integrated social media and customer relationship management program for your company.
