Did you know that over 91% of retail brands use two or more social media channels (usually Facebook and Twitter)? Twitter know this, so they’re creating new features to help businesses handle customer service through their platform.

Over the past couple of years, you may have noticed an increasing number of customer service accounts popping up. From South West Trains to major online clothing retailer ASOS, they all have accounts that deal with complaints and concerns. I myself may have been known to use these channels to complain rather than writing an email (too much effort, #firstworldproblems).

The changes

The first feature to be introduced will allow companies to identify that a particular Twitter account provides support. When enabled, a little note pops up that says “Provides support” next to the account name when searched for. There will also be a message button included on the page, allowing users to easily contact companies rather than the faff of direct messages.

Once this is in, Twitter will let companies specify the hours they offer support through their Twitter account. Users will then be alerted to these hours so that they know the best time to get in touch. Handy.

Why bother?

Whilst large companies who really want to show that they’re making an effort to provide a great level of customer service will no doubt use this too, but what about smaller companies that aren’t too keen on Twitter?

Whether you like it or not, many customers are turning to the online world. Having social media pages, reviews, and a good website are becoming vital life lines for South West businesses, and more and more people are using social media to get in touch with companies. Many people would now opt to Tweet a restaurant or write on their Facebook wall asking about opening times and reservations rather than calling, and the number of people seeking this avenue is only going to increase.

Should you use the features?

If you’re a small business, you probably won’t need to. However, this is a good reminder to stay active on your Twitter account and respond to questions and queries on there as quickly as possible. Staying aware of what is happening on your timeline will help you build positive relationships with existing and potential customers, so always be ready to send a quick Tweet back. If there’s a bigger issue then you can always ask them to give you a call; after all, some things can still only be sorted by a voice at the end of the phone!