The Importance of Customer Engagement

Replying to simple customer queries online could save time- especially for airports. Rather than the information desk having a queue a mile long, give your customers the opportunity to make simple enquiries online. Whether it is a forum on your website, or on social media, allowing your customers this option will save both you, and them time.

Customer engagement online is also something that can satisfy the customer as it gives them an accessible platform to express their experiences and opinions, and lets them know that their voice is being heard. It creates a relationship between you and the customer and allows them to build trust with the brand. To maximise customer engagement, it is important to treat your customers as individuals, with their own stories, rather than anonymous transactions. Social media channels are a strategic way to interact with customers and build human relationships.

It’s also a fantastic tool to encourage returning customers- if a customer makes a positive comment on one of your social media pages, recognition from the company could confirm the customers satisfaction and encourage them to use your services again. Ignoring customer comments could have a negative effect, and sway their judgement.

Finally, it allows you to iron out any minor complaints from unhappy customers before the matter is taken further. Unfortunately, 58% of those who have tweeted a company about a bad experience have not received a response. This could encourage an unhappy customer to take the matter further, when it could possibly be resolved via social media. Every opportunity to engage with a customer is an opportunity to either build or destroy loyalty

So although customer engagement online may seem time consuming, it could actually save you a lot of time in the long-run.

We turned to social media to ask what our followers thought about customer engagement online and posed the following question:

And these were some of the responses we received...

Generally, it seemed as though our social media followers and friends agreed with the concept of customer engagement online. It’s vital that companies at least exhibit a social media presence, and good social media practice- documenting important information regularly, and replying to customer queries.

Poppy Marello

Poppy joined the Routesonline team after successfully completing a degree in journalism at Sheffield Hallam University. Poppy has a passion for…