When people are annoyed about a service, they take to Twitter to complain. This means it is absolutely essential that a competent social customer service team are on hand to resolve whatever issue a customer may be having to the best of their ability in an efficient and friendly manner.
When people are annoyed about a service, they take to Twitter to complain. This means it is absolutely essential that a competent social customer service team are on hand to resolve whatever issue a customer may be having, to the best of their ability in an efficient and friendly manner.
Is this easier said than done?
Investigating the Twitter accounts the UK’s most popular budget airlines, I’m going to sort the winners from the losers, judging performance according to the following criteria:
1) CLARITY & EFFICIENCY
Here, I am going to judge how efficient the whole process is. If there is a separate customer service account, is this obvious? Has the airline stated that they are here to help, if the main Twitter account is used to resolve customer service issues? In terms of response, are answers clear, accurate, and problem solving? If the problem can’t be solved over Twitter, has another method of contact been offered?
2) SPEED
Customers expect a response within an hour. Airlines who don’t reply within this timeframe anger customers (further).
3) PERSONALITY
Does the airline sound human, or robotic? Using real names behind Twitter handles, for example, puts customers at ease. If a customer is making a complaint, has this been handled with relative empathy?
EASYJET
Although operating all day until early evening, EasyJet’s Twitter account isn’t clear about customer service, as there is a separate link for this. Does this mean there is no social customer service whatsoever? Here’s where that “support” link takes you:
We’ve ignored this page because it isn’t helpful when you want a fast answer. Lets take a look at customer interaction.
A quick response, but not necessarily a great one from EasyJet. The airline has readily accepted losing a regular customer without enquiring further into the his complaint. It would be better to DM Nicolas, or ask for his details to discuss the issue further.
Yes the response is speedy, apologetic, and personally signed (all great practises), but EasyJet hasn’t offered this customer any kind of compensation and isn’t bothered about investigating the complaint further (bad practice).
EsyJet’s response is 16 hours later than the initial complaint, which isn’t great. Also “feel free” to check a link connotes that they don’t care if you do or don’t. Generally, linking out to content that isn’t specific to a customer’s complaint infuriates the customer further. Ashleigh just wants to speak to someone – she wants a direct method of communication, and it’s EasyJet’s duty to provide this, rather than prolong the problem by passing her on to other teams.
RYANAIR
Ryanair have longer operating hours than EasyJet, and have clearly stated that they are here to help.
Most interactions are helpful replies to delayed flight info, answered speedily by a member of the Ryanair customer service team. But how does the airline handle a complaint?
There are SO many things wrong with this. Firstly, Ryanair completely ignores Laura until she sends a second tweet (by which point she’s angrier). The airline should have replied immediately and enquired into which flight this was, and assured the customer that the issue will dealt with.
Having tweeted again, Laura provides Ryanair another opportunity to help (and a chance to apologise) but instead the airline advises her to submit an “official complaint”, defeating the point of having a Twitter account as a point of contact altogether.
In addition, Ryanair don’t even tell Laura how to make an official complaint! It seems that Ryanair don’t have social customer service strategy in place whatsoever.
FLYBE
Flybe’s social customer service team operate long hours, and it’s pretty clear the Twitter account is there for enquiries.
Like some others in our social customer service posts, Flybe use the Lithium Social Web platform to reply to customers using more than 140 characters.
This has both positives and negatives. Positives: longer answers may mean more helpful answers. Negatives: tweets are cut off on Twitter, and the link shows no indication of its destination. Why doesn’t the airline DM people instead? There is no character limit for inboxes.
Flybe use the Lithium Social Web platform to provide excellent social customer service. Clicking through to the airline’s conversation with @frances_yates, this fast, helpful, and empathetic exchange demonstrates how important it is to go above and beyond to solve a customer’s issue as soon as possible, rather than directing them somewhere else (either to submit a complaint, or to team to another team).
MONARCH
Monarch are the first airline to explicitly state that customer service enquires can be directly addressed here. Hurrah!
After a Russian plane crashed in Egypt this weekend, lots of customers who planned to fly to Egypt this week are tweeting and asking for refunds. This is a tricky and sensitive issue. As exemplified above, Monarch stick to official guidelines and communicate with their customers quickly and clearly about the issue.
JET2
Our last contender is Jet2.
Sending out tweets when customer service begins operating is a great idea – especially in this case, when members of the team are specified by name.
On a separate less positive note, there are some problems here. Why does Jet2’s customer service strategy still rely on writing? Who has time to write and post a letter? Why can’t this be sorted out online? This is really bad practice. Jet2 should be making contact to solve Kevin’s issue, rather than passing him onto another method of contact.
Note the Monarch operating times! Try and contact them (by any means) outside of these times and there is no Monarch provision. So delayed flight, lost baggage etc etc you just have to wait until the following day if after 5.30pm. So an airline which basically flies 24/7 only helps 8.5/7 …. around a third of the time.