(This post originally appeared on the Radian6 blog… which no longer exists… so I copied it over here đ Too bad it was taken down, because the comments were great! )
As human beings we all need to âshut downâ once in a while. Everyone deserves a nice, restful vacation. But our brand never sleeps. Customers use our products and services all the time, even when we go on vacation. The simple solution to this problem would be to have a colleague fill in for you while you are out. And this is perfectly fine. Some of the most successful companies in social media have more than one person handling the load (Zappos andComcast).
But sometimes, a brand in the early stages of developing their social media program has limited resources and is not prepared for their community manager or social media person to take leave. Allowing themselves vacation means putting social media on hold.
How this Situation Came About
What is fascinating about social media is that it has brought a human element to marketing, which was previously lacking. Customers have begun to appreciate and value the human element, however they still relate to brands as, wellâŚ. a brand.
There was an InformationWeek study which said, one-fourth of users who complain on Facebook or Twitter expect a reply within 60 minutes (6% of those expected one within 10 minutes).
By creating a human element in social media, we have complicated things. Now, if we canât respond fast enough, we could be doing more damage.
I would hate for social media to be the reason vacation disappears, but the question is still valid, what do you do with social media conversations when you arenât there? Can we afford to leave our social media presence idle for any amount of time?
But We All Take Vacation, Right?
Youâre right, it is your vacation, and you should enjoy it. But at the same time, donât forget, âYour Brand Never Sleeps.â You canât leave your social media idle. There is no excuse for ditching your social identity completely for vacation.
This is not to say that your level of engagement has to be the same. Personally, when the weekend hits, I usually make family time and go âquietâ on Twitter. However, just because I am not speaking, doesnât mean I am not listening. I see every single tweet that comes in. Smart phones have made it so easy even a monkey could use it. With some of the tools available, browsing messages is as simple as opening a text message, maybe even easier.
Social Media Triage
This is where social media triage comes in (I thought I coined that term, but I should have known better. See this awesome flow chart for more info). Nearly every tweet deserves a response, but not necessarily right away. Determine what the message is about â Is it a playful, fun message? The urgency for this will be less and can typically go ignored for a while. If not, start to determine what the problem is.
- Are they angry? Did something happen in your store? This type of feedback becomes more serious and requires a deeper, more urgent look.
- How big is their problem? More often than not, itâs going to be a bump or a scratch, nothing a little ice and a Band-Aid canât fix. Sometimes of course, these do have the potential to turn into a larger problem. The best thing to do is to have them email their concern, and assure them you will get back to them as soon as possible. Other than that, these are not necessarily the people that you need to respond to right away.
But sometimes, someone has a real, legitimate complaint. These are the situations that, as a brand, you will be thankful you were listening for.
- Is their problem time sensitive? If you think they have a legitimate complaint, if it can wait until you get back to the office, then tell them you will look into the situation and get back to them on a given date. They will understand. Thatâs the human element. They just want to know that someone is listening and is there to help.
That being said, if the situation is something that needs immediate attention, again, you will be thankful you were listening and able to deal with it immediately.
So Yes, Use your Vacation
But donât completely disappear. This should be every companyâs biggest problem. Itâs usually a sign that you are doing something right during office hours. Ignoring your customers, especially during their time of need, sends a distasteful message. But providing a response is a small and simple level of engagement that will make all the difference to your customers.
What are your social media habits when on vacation? How do you prepare before the trip? Share your ideas.
Aaron Friedman is a member of the Content Solutions team at Resolution Media where he is experienced in SEO ranging from local, Digital Marketing, to National and Global Search Marketing. Aaron specializes in content creation including Social Media Strategy, Image and Video Optimization. He blogs atDigitalhighrise.com. Follow him on Twitter and connect with him on Linkedin.