A recent study shows that about 80% of companies use Facebook—and 45% use Twitter—to grow their business brand. And that number keeps increasing! There are

many social media outlets that your company is probably using, but there are some tips and tactics you should follow when interacting with customers on these sites. As a growing business with an active presence on numerous social media outlets, you have no doubt experienced instances where one of your customers has a comment, posts, or raises complaints on your Facebook page, through a tweet to your Twitter profile, or by reaching out on another network.

But do you know how to properly engage your customers and provide quality customer service over a social network? Perhaps you’ve responded to positive feedback, but you’ve never had to deal with complaints before, and this is something new to your business. If this situation has yet to arise, your agency can learn and be prepared by these tips!

Reply Quickly

If a customer or another social media user has something positive to say about your brand—whether they loved a service you provided or are thrilled with you going above and beyond—jump right on saying thank you! And if you receive comments, tweets, or posts that are more along the negative side of the picture—such as a client unhappy with one of your products or not having received satisfactory Facebook customer service—it is just as important to reply quickly. Offer tips if the customer is looking for advice, and reach out with a positive solution to complaints sooner rather than later. Nobody wants to be kept waiting.

Respond Politely

While there is no set guideline for what proper Facebook customer service looks like, it goes without saying that you should always treat your clients and customers respectfully. You have probably heard that a negative review or bad reputation can spread much more quickly than something good that you do, so be sure to keep that principle in mind. If you are tweeting back to someone who has tweeted you or commenting back on a negative post on your business Facebook page, it pays to be formal, polite, apologetic, and friendly.

Engage Always

One of the downsides to the accessibility of users to contact you through social media outlets is that customers can say anything they want on a public forum. If your agency is being attacked wrongfully, you can usually find a way to delete or hide the post and report slander to Twitter or Facebook customer service representatives. However, be sparing with this – if the comments or posts are just simple complaints or opinions that you can deal with, then be sure to do so. Your reputation can go a long way if you prove adept at interacting with your customers and providing easy and friendly solutions. Engage and address tweets and comments directed at your business, and don’t be afraid to reach out directly to the user to work together for a satisfactory solution.

Interacting through social media outlets has no set guidelines, and it can be sometimes tricky. Keep these tips in mind for how to provide quality Twitter and Facebook customer service to clients who are interacting with you. Remember to engage with all posts your business receives—not just complaints—as a reply can work wonders for building your brand and increasing your company’s positive reputation.