In today’s age, nearly every consumer is doing something online. Researching, reporting, and buying are probably some of three of the most common things. But one thing companies can’t quantify that potential consumers are doing online is passing judgment. And the way consumers go about passing judgments about companies is something that can be controlled… but most companies have no idea how to control it.
Customer reviews are a powerful tool on the internet. They are one of the most one-sided, subjective ways consumers evaluate companies online, and therefore might not seem to be a valid form of company review. However, there’s no doubt that these emotional, anonymous customer reviews are often the most influential form of copywriting your business is going to receive. What these online reviews say can often have a major effect on the success of your business.
What can companies do to provide a home base for their customers? Both happy and unhappy customers appreciate having a place to offer service suggestions, vent their frustrations, and have their legitimate questions answered in a controlled, professional manner. The solution: open a message board that serves as a customer support forum.
Most websites have detailed FAQ sections that answer customer questions and some even offer 24-hour chat lines that can provide live support. But by opening an online forum, companies can put their customer support staff to work in the same way they do with live support. At the same time, forums also allow active customers to answer questions, offer advice, and provide realistic solutions to other customer issues.
Support Forums have been most commonly used on software websites, where users and developers often have specific questions that require the posting of coding examples. Most recently, message board support forums have been utilized by companies that offer subscription-based services online like GetMyHomesValue.com, an Inc. 500 real estate marketing services firm, and online games like World Of Warcraft. Online subscription companies often use these forums as a way to provide transparent, real time communication with subscribers.
Forums are great for providing answers to commonly asked customer questions. In opposition to live chat or FAQ’s, forum threads are indexed by search engines and easy to read when looking for an answer quickly. Often, providing an easy answer on a support forum to a competitor’s frustrated customer can lead that customer to bring their business to your company. Message boards also present information in a non-intrusive way on the customer’s time, saving them the hassle of having to wait for an available service representative by phone.
When a customer takes issue with your service, support forums are also a great way to take the power away from the many negative review websites. Customer service representatives can review a customer’s comment and refer other commentors to your support forum. Start a thread on your forum addressing the negative review, tell your side of the story, and provide documentation of a solution to the customer’s gripe.
With the development of social media networks like Facebook and Twitter, message boards may seem very outdated to online businesses. But the benefits of message boards to companies that rely on internet success are too great to pass on. If your company is considering adding social networks into a marketing plan, consider adding a support forum to your website as a way to benefit your customer service department.