Engagement vs. Transactional Servicing
Sure, we look for service opportunities, we answer questions, but our real purpose is to make a connection with our Customers. Once we’ve humanized our brand, we’ve earned the right to monetize.
One of our Customers published a nice blog post about us…Jennifer talks about a few brands she really likes, but goes on to say that she has a full crush on JetBlue. Then she elaborates on why, but the thing that resonated with me was this part where she talks about engaging with the Twitter team and then compares it with talking to the Pilots and Flight atttendants. It’s all part of the whole experience.
http://theworldaccordingtojennifer.com/2013/01/11/time-for-me-to-fly/
Customer service in the social space
We’ve continue to set our bar a little higher every year. Our Customer expect more from us because of what we’ve established – as a brand – from the beginning.
When we reply to our Customers in their voice, like we know them, they feel like we get you.
The @JetBlue Team
Be yourself, be yourself in Blue
We’ve selected a team of Customer Support Crewmembers based on their passion for our brand, amongst other things, and what we’ve ended up with is a very diverse collection of personalities and strengths. We can teach skills, we can’t teach the passion and the energy that are job requirements.
Jeff – TV and pop culture geek with a quick wit that knows everything.
A few young college students
Some Spanish speakers
A handful of stay-at-home moms that want to stay connected, they work from home, this is their connection
Some have been at JetBlue since our beginning – 14 years ago, others have been here less than a year.
In our training, we focus on understanding our foundation, our operations, we teach a blend of skills to our Customer Service focused team. They’ve got to be able to recognize when to step in with PR awareness, customer service, how to use their tools and resources, understand our marketing initiatives, and have a strong sense of wit and personality.
HOW WE SERVE
Everyone’s got their thing
The content is truly organic and real-time
Emoticons
Hashtags
Requests for selfies
The diversity is there, but subtle. Johnny was working, didn’t understand the point of this one, Jeff caught the reference and nails a response. #teamworkyo
Networking.
Internal strength. Build connections, internal relationships, spans across the US, the Caribbean and Latin America (86 cities) and the experience and expertise of others. We can’t be everywher,e, we fly to and have over 900 flights per day.
Fix link, correct typos, clarify terms and conditions
Mika
Also, airports
Rachel left her passport in a seatback pocket and was frantically trying to find it. She’s got a lot of helpful followers that were giving her advice and tagging others. Matt Ketcher
https://twitter.com/JetBlue/status/473205674521165824
http://paulgordonbrown.com/2014/02/17/pbandj/
Chocolates from jeff cutler
Gavin donovan
Bronies
PGB
Morgan’s love notes
In return, we’ve received a few tangible things from our superfans – ben & jerry’s ice cream, a box full of ponies, and…chocolate. This was in exchange for fixing an issue on a reservation, but it wasn’t our first exchange with Jeff Cutler.
IT’S NOT ALL FUN
Crap happens. Flights are delayed and cancelled. It rains in the summer. Vacations are delayed. Hotels don’t always provide refunds.
How do we truly help?
BTMurr – sometimes it only takes a joke
Other times – customers see the bright side (blog post)
But then, sometimes we just have to roll with the punches. (Morgan’s quote from the Yahoo article) he key is treating Twitter like your girlfriend. “It’s really about listening and engaging smartly,” Johnston said. “We don’t want to add noise, but if it’s clear that a follower is looking for a response, we try to jump in and assist.”
Look for areas of opportunity – we respond to about 15% of the mentions we see, but that’s not a target we focus on
Triage for success
Add value to your Customers (individaull and to the audience that may be watching)
Constantly ask the questions and think 2-3 steps ahead (how is this going to help)
We’re human, we don’t always hit the mark. Being human means we’re not perfect, but it also means that we truly care.
We’re all in it together. The JetBlue team is more than just the @JetBlue team – social isn’t going to fix everything, it’s not going to tell us everything, etc.
Apologize when appropriate, but keep it in balance.
We’re sorry that our Customers get inconvenienced, we empathize, we TRULY care, and if we can fix it, we’ll work toward that.
We get that sometimes it sucks.
We try to inform and educate, shed more light, provide blog posts, define things, etc.