There are lots of stories in the press these days about companies using Twitter for customer support, with more jumping on the bandwagon daily.
And I’m all for that. Good customer support is always good PR, but it’s even more effective when done in an open forum, where everyone – including other current and potential customers – can see it. I learned this over ten years ago when I haunted the Usenet CD-recording groups, helping people with Incat/Adaptec software.
Customers love Twitter support because (and as long as) it’s real-time, effective, intelligent, and doesn’t require them to hold on the phone.
Ad hoc support via social media can be all those things, but:
- it’s only efficient as long as the number of employees available to provide it can manage the number of customers wanting it
- it’s only effective if there’s a clear path for feedback from customers back to the company
You see, I’ve been down this road before. I provided support for customers of Incat’s (later Adaptec’s) CD-recording software via CompuServe, then on the Usenet, a moderated discussion list, email newsletters, and a website.
All of this worked well, up to a point. I knew CD-R technology inside out (because I literally wrote the book on it), so I could answer most questions myself. I had written the manuals, so I knew the software better than almost anybody. When we needed more hands on deck, I was given the budget to hire Adrian and Brian.
