360PR Blog

I can’t begin to explain how many horror stories I’ve heard about the customer service of cable companies, and being a Bostonian, this means Comcast.  So why would a Comcast customer service representative get a booming ovation at an event on CRM (customer relationship management)?

The answer is simple.  Frank Eliason, or @comcastcares as he’s known on Twitter, is a rock star.  If you haven’t heard about @comcastcares, check out this BusinessWeek article from January. As part of a panel hosted by Radian6 and social media guru Chris Brogan, Eliason and fellow panelists provided insights into why social media is a key component to a customer’s experience with a brand.

“Our job as a company is to figure out what we can do to turn our customers into advocates,” according to Eliason. The panel went on to say that Social CRM, simply put, is getting back to the basics.  Brands need to listen to the conversations that are going on with or without them, and take the necessary steps to engage them.

So, as the lines grow ever-blurrier about who should be leading a brand’s charge into social media, customer service is proving to be an important player. And, in PR, we’re on the front lines, helping brands turn potential customers into actual customers, and existing customers into advocates.

Another key message from the panel that stuck with me is that we all, as marketers, must remember that good service translates into good sales.  Sometimes we need to take a step back and put ourselves in the shoes of the customer and provide the level of customer service that we would expect in return.

Filed under: Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Social Media |