Integrate Social Media With Your Operations

social mediaRecently I saw a post on the Facebook page of a company I follow that stated, if you have questions about your order contact customer service. It went on to say, “This page is for updates only.” This statement is an example of how companies are still failing to use social media properly.

Too many companies look at social media as just a marketing tool. While it does work for that, that’s like saying the phone is just a sales tool because you call prospects on it. Companies need to be more flexible. The same problem happens in phone banks where you call a company and get a representative who tells you that your problem is handled by a different division and you need to call another number.

This is a result of creating silos in businesses. Each department has their own job and they don’t look at the other parts of the company, they don’t talk with the other parts of the company, and don’t interact. Silos prevent companies from being innovative. They are designed to maintain the status quo. Social media, on the other hand, is a tool for breaking down the status quo. To compete in today’s market, the silos need to come down.

If your company has a Facebook page, someone should be monitoring the page regularly for comments from your customers. That’s the core of social media. It’s two-way communication. If someone posted a question about their order, that request should be passed on to the proper people and they should contact the customer. If someone contacts your company, they should be able to accomplish anything they need to do, without being sent somewhere else.

Companies need to break down the silos that are impeding their customers. The more silos a company has, the more places there are where someone can drop the ball. Communication across lines doesn’t just help the customer. It makes the business run smother and enhances innovation by applying ideas from other areas. It is a strategic advantage when you can cross pollinate ideas, build teams across departments, and service your clients wherever they may be.