Increase Purchase Intent Through Social Media Responsiveness

Shoppers who read brand responses that offer to refund, upgrade, or exchange products are 92% more likely to purchase

Offering refunds, upgrades or exchanges reduces the perceived risk of making a purchase decision.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Invest time in social listening to identify opportunities to provide customer service, and have a plan in place to resolve issues as quickly and directly as possible (you’ll see the benefit of this in the next stat).

Shoppers who see brand responses that provide closure to an issue, versus requiring additional actions, are 27% more likely to purchase

If prospective consumers can be witness to customer service issues through to resolution, it will give them an increased level of confidence that the brand will stand behind and support their products and/or services into the future. It will also give consumers insight into your customer service process, assuring them that if they have any future need for service that they will be well taken care of.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Provide the fastest and most direct customer service solutions possible, even if it costs more at a per-interaction level (of course you will need to calculate real costs and make a proper judgment for your business). This can ultimately yield greater returns by way of increased customer acquisition and reduced human resources required for customer service issues. If you can resolve an issue directly online or on social media and bypass a more traditional customer service phone line, do it.

When brands respond to product misuse with guiding explanations, shoppers who see the review responses are 186% more likely to purchase

Responding to reviews that exhibit common cases of product misuse can reassure otherwise trepidatious prospective customers that the quality of your product is sound.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Don’t let reviewers who are misusing your product negatively sway the purchase intent of future consumers. Offer those reviewers top-tier customer service to resolve their issues, but also take time to explain how proper use of your product can avoid recurring problems for any prospective consumer that could later be perusing reviews.

(via)

Related articles

• New Social Media Research That Could Change Your Strategy
• Cheap and Sharp Ways to Use Social Media for Customer Service
• Study Says Majority of Shoppers Choose Price Over Brand
• Every Decision Begins and Ends With the Shopper
• Three Things to Watch in Shopper Marketing for 2013