Social media has proven an effective resource for companies looking to raise brand awareness and engage with consumers, and more people are now turning to social media as an avenue for voicing their praise as well as their criticisms of companies and their products.
But a recent survey conducted by D.C.-based research and consulting firm Clutch, which focused on consumers’ online expectations for companies, found that most expect brands to respond to their queries and concerns on social media — and have unusually high expectations for how quickly those responses arrive.
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More than three-quarters of the Clutch’s survey respondents (76 percent) said they expect brands to respond to comments they make about them on social media. Of those respondents, 83 percent said they expect brands to respond to those comments within a day or less.
More than half of the survey respondents (58 percent) said the advent of social media has made customer service an easier process, and nearly three-quarters (72 percent) said they’re more likely to recommend a company to others if they have a positive social media experience with a company. Nearly half (45 percent) said they see companies in a more positive light when they respond to negative comments made on their social media page.
The survey found that men are more likely than women to expect brands to respond to their social media comments (82 percent versus 72 percent, respectively), and are also more likely to demand a fast response.
Not surprising, Millennials, who grew up with social media, widely expect brands to engage with them via social media (80 percent). And almost all of the Millennials polled (90 percent) said they expect brands to do so within a day or less, with 44 percent expecting brands to respond within an hour.
Clutch’s survey polled more than 530 U.S. consumers who reported using social media at least once a week. It was conducted in late August.
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