{"id":515426,"date":"2024-04-19T01:37:07","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T08:37:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.genesys.com\/blog\/post\/combine-social-media-and-cx-to-listen-and-respond-to-customers"},"modified":"2024-04-19T02:17:25","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T09:17:25","slug":"combine-social-media-and-cx-to-listen-and-respond-to-customers","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.genesys.com\/en-gb\/blog\/post\/combine-social-media-and-cx-to-listen-and-respond-to-customers","title":{"rendered":"Combine Social Media and CX to Listen and Respond to Customers"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Social media is a powerful tool for connecting people across the globe. Now more than ever, consumers are reaching out to businesses through public social media instead of using traditional service channels, such as phone, text or web chat. This is especially true in the Middle East and Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n

The challenge for many organisations is that their customer experience (CX) departments aren’t set up to scale this type of engagement. And that’s creating missed opportunities to build relationships with customers and prospects and<\/span> connect data from across every touchpoint<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Consumers,<\/span> particularly digital natives<\/span><\/a>, continue to introduce new preferences for how they want to interact with businesses. Instead of dialing customer service directly, they often choose to reach out to businesses via public social media channels like X or WhatsApp \u2014 and they expect a response. Whether it\u2019s posting a complaint, asking for help or searching for information on a product, consumers don’t mind the public knowing what they have to say to \u2014 and about \u2014 a brand.<\/span><\/p>\n

For many businesses, public social media channels are managed outside the contact centre. Often, this ownership is part of a company’s marketing department. And the social media strategists that run these channels are charged with amplifying company news, monitoring conversations, and analysing their brands’ awareness and performance in the market. They’re not focused on providing great customer service \u2014 and they’re disconnected from other teams that are.<\/span><\/p>\n

Further compounding the problem, most organisations rely on point solutions to manage their social media presence; these solutions aren\u2019t integrated with their customer engagement systems and departments. They don\u2019t have the<\/span> customer experience infrastructure<\/span> to use social media as an effective service channel today.<\/span><\/p>\n

For organisations to stay ahead and meet customers where they are, that needs to change. They need to provide proactive, connected service through public social media channels.<\/span><\/p>\n

From a digital communications perspective, Middle East consumers’ adoption of public social media channels is a bit ahead of Europe, North America and other regions in the world. We’re anticipating other markets will accelerate their use in the near future.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interact with Customers in the Channels That Matter<\/h2>\n

Instead of looking at social media as a tool for marketing, businesses need to expand their view. They need to see it as an important channel to engage and connect with their customers and prospects. And they need to realise it’s a crucial and largely untapped opportunity to glean valuable customer data and business insights.<\/span><\/p>\n

Companies of all sizes and geographies need to start thinking about how to integrate social media channels into their end-to-end customer experience strategy. This will require them to:<\/span><\/p>\n