Twitter is used for many purposes, some use it to stay informed on the most current news, some use it to reach out to people and stay informed about people they want to follow, some use it to gossip and talk about random things and some politicians even use it to unintentionally derail their careers. With all these uses there is one that any business, especially hotels can use it for; great customer service. Customer service is the pillar of any successful business growth strategy and Twitter has proven to be a great customer service tool. I want to discuss how Twitter can be used a customer service tool and can strengthen your business.

Customer service is very important for a business but it can be a consumer’s worst nightmare with all the frustrations of calling a company’s customer service line. Twitter addresses two major issues a call center or front desk deals with; 1) wait times and 2) miscommunication.  Twitter is an efficient and fast platform that allows both the customer and the customer service department to communicate in real time and resolve small to medium problems relatively fast. Bigger problems may take more tweets or they can funnel a customer to a call or a follow up but the customer knows they are being attended to. Miscommunication can be an obstacle many times with customers talking endlessly about this or that and not being clear about what they want. When it is in text is easier to interpret and doesn’t get lost with a verbal call.

Customer service is often dreaded upon by many consumers and not often perceived in the best light. Twitter used effectively can improve your brand image and can really bolster your customer satisfaction rates. The cost can be considerably less than a full service call center and more efficient than responding by email. Twitter is great at responding quickly and transparently but one really great benefit is that your tweet may answer a number of peoples same problem. When you receive a phone call only you and the other person know what’s going on. A tweet can be viewed by anybody with internet access and can make a big impact in reducing the number of customer inquiries and problems.

Twitter is being integrated into our digital space more and gives not only hotels but any business a golden opportunity to be proactive and take control of their customer service. Be authentic and engaging and your customers will appreciate it, perceive your brand positively and if you stay consistent you will see the benefits begin to affect other aspects of your business.