3 Easy Ways To Find Out If Your Favorite Company Really Cares About You

We can always use tips to help us save more and make better buys.  What about tips to know if companies are being transparent or actually care about you?  We spend our hard earned dollars on companies and their products but sometimes they do not do all in their power to extend their hand in a digital world.  Not to worry there are ways to fix this.

Whether it is seeking out companies that are making a difference through the products they make or how they make their products it all adds up.  Fashion is a big industry with many moving parts.  It can be difficult to keep the big picture in mind.  The truth is the internet is making a difference in the way we consume and how we get educated before we consume.

With Instagram having 500 users on its platform and many of them providing key insight and curating services.  These tastemakers are increasingly important and have a lot of influence on what massive audiences are running out to the stores (virtually or brick and mortar) and purchasing.  

The control and power that we have as a customer base for some of the most powerful brands in the world is at an all time high.  With direct responses, comments, and messengers we can easily get a tone and overall voice of a brand.  This is nothing new by the way.  Even the small boutiques that have personalized touch and service show great customer service off line.  As we head into 2017 it is time for more companies to make the experience easier for the consumer.

1. Direct Reply.  The Twitter public direct reply is one of the best tools in the modern age.  Not only is it a great way to get a quick response from a company it tells a lot about the company.  Was the direct reply a personal interaction?  Was it an informative direct reply?  Many company customer service departments are losing key insights here.   It would make some customer’s day to hear from the brands they frequent but too often there is no one on the other end of the tweet.  

A quick way to measure the brand’s customer service quality is to look at the resolution.  Many savvy customers will direct reply the brands that they shop with about customer questions and product comments.  Look at the recent 10 tweets and see what the resolution has been.  If the recent scenarios look like they have been resolved in a satisfactory way then you can expect similar customer care.  The bottom line is the direct reply gives you a lot of leverage as a consumer.  Use it and reap the benefits.

2. Messenger.  The culture of short messaging and social media messaging is getting more valuable in the relationship building process for companies.  Customers can quickly reach out for questions and suggestions on platforms like the Facebook Messenger.  Messenger is becoming more important as consumers continue to spend more of their time on Facebook.  Some people are checking their Facebook timeline as frequently as 70 times a day.  It is natural for them to want to communicate with companies there.  Most companies will have a messenger button on their fan page.  Look to see if this is an option when wanting to get in touch with you favorite brand.  

Facebook has even taken the time to show how active the company is when it comes to actually responding to messages.  A sign of a company that wants to make the best impression for its customers is easy to see.  The company will use this important time and attention to make the best impression possible.  They will go over the top.  They will work to win the customer’s trust.  The customer can get a lot of value from just reaching out here.  The next time you have a question check the company’s Facebook Fan page.  In the digital world that we are heading into keep in mind that when a company does not have a Fan Page or doesn’t interact with its customers this should be a big red flag to its consumers about what it values and what the company priorities are.

3. Comments.  Last but not least and maybe we have saved the best for last.  The comments on any of the popular social media applications like Facebook or Instagram are important for us to take notice.  There lots of conversations happening here that go beyond your typical metrics and engagements.  The comment section is vital to contests, customer service, and other really important data.  You can find some really good effort being displayed by companies in this area as well.  

Companies with commitment to communication will spend time answering questions and responding to every message with the exception of spam.  Take a look at your favorite companies.  If they are offering high quality comprehensive service to their customers, it will shine through in the comment section.  Similar to the direct reply the comments on Instagram are a place for companies to really get involved and spend time responding.  When the effort is made here customers are changed forever into raving fans.

In summary, we discussed 3 quick ways to tell if a company cares about you digitally.  They won’t let a tweet go by without a response.  No mention on Facebook or Instagram will go unaccounted for and they will give you their undivided attention on Facebook Messenger.  The takeaway is that if you have time look at some of the companies you shop with.  See how they react digitally.  If you are on the fence this holiday about what new company has good customer service and has values that are aligned with yours a good place to start is on social media, particularly in the places that we just mentioned.  

Did I miss anything?  Just want to say hi?  If you found any value in this post I’d love it if you would join the community over at hamiltonperkins.com. 

This is a guest post by Hamilton Perkins, who founded the company that makes ethical bags out of recycled plastic bottles. They donates a portion of their profits in support of fair wages and helping the poor in less developed nations. They source raw materials that divert plastic bottles, save water, add revenue, create jobs in parts of the world that need it the most.