Warm and fuzzy…
Sometimes it is all too easy to point out the numerous bad examples of big companies using social media, but every now and again I’m struck by good customer service being executed using social media platforms.
I had one such warm and fuzzy moment today, when I grumbled on Twitter about the trouble I was having contacting Australia Post:
Less than two minutes later, I received this:
I have to admit I was shocked…I didn’t even think to look for them on Twitter, let alone get a response to a whingey tweet not even using their handle. Although they weren’t able to resolve my problem entirely via Twitter, I’ve since DM’d my email address so that we can work out the best solution.
I have to commend Australia Post – they responded VERY quickly, showing that they are actively listening and are reaching out to assist people in resolving issues. I think for a company that traditionally specializes in ‘snail mail’, Australia Post are doing an impressive job!
Anyone else had feel-good experiences like this lately?
Elucidation 
Nice – I like it when customer service is pro-active.
Like that time I said Sex and the City didn’t go long enough, within minutes I had kind folks offering me cheap viagra – how awesome is that!
Hehe, totally awesome Ash! 😉 It’s amazing how efficient those Viagra salespeople are…they’ll be commenting on this post peddling their wares no doubt!
I had a similar experience with Vodafone lately, was very glad to see them on twitter and was very impressed that I got an issue resolved that was over a year old with them via online help. Their customer service via phone which they’ve said has been outsourced sucks!
I’ve also found @vodafoneAU really helpful – much better than phoning and being on hold for 20 minutes…thanks for dropping by Shaun!
nice, that’s what i love about twitter, you always get the feeling that someone is watching over you… it’s also a bit creepy sometimes too!
Nice post Jessie.
Glad also you had a good experience with Vodafone Shaun. I have done worth with Vodafone in the past on their social media strategies. They are doing some good stuff.
I have had good experiences on Twitter with Optus and BlackBerry (client of mine).
Thanks for stopping by and reading the post Matthew.
Yes, it is great to see Vodafone doing a good job – bet it makes you happy to see hard work paying off! I haven’t had the chance to check out Optus (apart from what I’ve read on @SilkCharm’s blog) or BlackBerry, but will have to see what they’re up to 🙂
@optus solved an issue for me about 6 months ago that I had been repeatedly told (via phone) could not be fixed. Haven’t stopped recommending them since. Aah, the power of twitter.
Hi Prue
Glad to hear you’ve had a good experience with @optus – good on them for turning around what could have been negative ‘buzz’ on Twitter about their customer service!
Congrats on the book win!
check out this story on twitter customer service from Ponoko, a NZ company I previously worked for.
http://blog.ponoko.com/2009/05/25/twitter-its-not-what-you-can-get-but-what-you-can-give/
cheers
Duann
Thanks Duann!
Cheers for sharing the Ponoko story – how fantastic to get that kind of feedback from a client 🙂 Also love the phrase “its not what you can get but what you can give” – it encapsulates how businesses SHOULD be viewing Twitter in my opinion.
I’m a video and animation producer, and didn’t want to cold call SBS to ask for a particular contact and application protocol. I looked at their site and couldn’t find what I was looking for, so I hit em up on twitter. I got a very fast reply, sending me directly to the info I needed. I’ve also found @zazzle to be super helpful, dealing with complaints and promoting its users’ success with equal gusto.
Hi Dan
Great to hear another positive story – sounds like SBS are doing a good job. I hadn’t heard of Zazzle before, will have to take a closer look.
Loved your ‘dragon safety’ stuff by the way!
love it… used to work for them here in SA in the IT area and am proud/glad to hear they are doing it right!! phew 🙂
Haha, yes, you should be proud! Thanks for stopping by Charlie 🙂
love it, the openness of social media means that people have to be a lot more accountable for their actions
Twitter as a customer service platform is largely a PR exercise. It sits inside the marketing department. The people aren’t actually equipped with the tools to help, and that’s fine because the ability to actually request help via social media is highly limited by the platform restrictions. Frame a complex customer problem in 160 characters? Not possible.
I work in marketing so know this one well 🙂 Take the warm fuzzies, sure, but don’t let the company get away with thinking it’s providing customer service. From personal experience Australia Post customer service is downright awful.
If it were customer service they would have answered the phone!