According to analytics company Socialbaker’s report today, Vodafone UK hosts the best Twitter customer service experience for its customers. Something that you can easily echo in your own company.

Now you might be thinking that reaching Vodafone’s level is an impossible task, but when you think of social media you have to think about scales. Is your company the size of Vodafone? Or are you a fish mongers in Ayrshire? If you have more in common with the latter fear not, it is more than plausible to create award-winning customer service on social media.

Twitter is amazing for business. You have an unlimited pool of potential customers ready to be found. Used wrongly though and Twitter will never work for your business. You might be a master of Facebook or Pinterest, even LinkedIn, but Twitter is a totally different ball game.

So where do you start? The most important thing to remember when establishing your social media customer service strategy is to remember Vodafone’s values – create your Twitter for your customers NOT for your marketing.

Sure, you WANT to spurt out information about your business. Of course you do! The fact is though, people don’t really care. Twitter is a fast-paced motorway of constant links, musings and, more often than not, faux celebrity deaths. To make the most of Twitter you have to join the conversation and keep up with the pace!

Customers expect a reply quickly. The worst thing you can do on Twitter is ignore an enquiry or complaint – more than half of Twitter users will expect a personal response within just one hour. Don’t reply quickly enough and you will lose that customer. Reply quickly and that person will praise your brand to their friends and hopefully gain you some new customers.

Which leads straight into another point – be personal. People expect Twitter users, including brands, to be personal and chatty. You wouldn’t go into a shop and receive customer service from a faceless robot, so why should your customers receive an impersonal response online?

Most of the big brands sign off their tweets with either their name or initials. If your company has more than one employee using the account then it makes sense for them to voice who they are, this means that Twitter users know exactly who they are talking to.

Just recently, after being accused of not paying to see Skyfall by a Kilmarnock Odeon employee and venting my frustration on my personal Twitter account, I received a very quick response from a lovely lady called Bex from Odeon who helped resolve the matter. I had, after all, paid an alarming high amount of money for two orange pieces of paper and didn’t appreciate being accused otherwise.

Even more recently, I’ve been conducting numerous Twitter conversations with Kenco coffee about cats. Nothing to do with their brand at all, but when it comes to browsing the supermarket aisle, I have to admit Kenco catches my eye first.

You see, personality is the key to Twitter and it’s what makes your business stand out. Follow your customers; take an interest in their lives. Twitter is a two way conversation. If you’re only spurting out information and not joining the conversation then you’re not using Twitter correctly.

Need some advice on Twitter customer service, or indeed any social media queries? Get in touch with us via Twitter, Facebook or simply give us a ring on 01292 473199.