When Fast Isn’t Fast Enough
August 17, 2010 by Jenni
When it comes to social media, timing is everything. In the age of instant communication via Twitter, e-mail’s “You will receive a response within 48 hours” auto reply just isn’t fast enough. Social media users want a response – and they want it now. An unofficial survey conducted by tech blogger Joe Porter shows that 61 percent of respondents expect a reply to their tweet in less than four hours.
Some of the most successful social media case studies boast lightning-fast response times. For example, take McDonald’s Shrek glass recall in June. In some cases, the company replied to concerned tweeters in less than 20 minutes.
What does this mean for your business? If you are going to commit to a social media presence, you need to do it 100 percent. Don’t just make a Twitter profile and expect it to be enough. You need to monitor your brand constantly. When someone complains, don’t waste time trying to figure out what to do – have a plan. Whether you solve the problem publicly (with an @-reply) or privately (with a direct message), the consumer will see that you care. And that just might turn the situation around and earn you some praise.
Have you complained to a company via Twitter before? What were the results?
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