Twitter is a great tool for marketing and customer service. It can be done in real time and reach the customer when they need the help. However, the 140 character limit can be a bit of a burden. You and the customer could send several dozen messages back and forth. Also you could be dealing with information that may be sensitive. Meaning you don’t want it out in the open Twitter stream.
How do you use Direct Messages in Customer Service?
Allow non followers to send you direct messages – Until this year it wasn’t possible for people who didn’t follow you to send you a Direct Message (DM). Also vice versa, you couldn’t send a direct message to someone not following you. Earlier this year Twitter allows you to receive DM’s from anyone. To enable this feature go under Security & Privacy in your settings and make sure the “Receive Direct Messages from Anyone” box is checked. Once selected you will not have an issue of who follows who.
No Character Limits on DM’s – Unlike the Twitter stream, DM’s do not have any character limit. You can type in as much as you want. This makes it easer to communicate with a customer when with an in depth issue. This feature I can say is one of the best things they have ever done.
Answer Peoples Messages – If someone sends you a message make sure you answer it. Try to answer it in under an hour during business hours. If you only cover Twitter during a certain time, make sure you have it listed in your bio. Don’t have people guessing as to when you will answer.
Follow these simple tips to make Customer Service easier!
