Banks are All About Twitter

The anecdotal evidence about customer service and Twitter is certainly mounting. (Stories about getting cable problems addresses more quickly though Comcast Cares on Twitter are becoming quite common). As this trend of interactivity on social media continues, it appears as though many companies want in on the action. Indeed, the latest is about how banks are all about Twitter.

Banks (among other businesses) are setting up Twitter accounts and watching for unhappy customers to air their grievances online. Even Bank of America and Wells Fargo are getting in on the act, reports The Street. Banks are experiencing something of a black eye right now, with bank fees rising, and the public announcements that many of them were on the verge of failure last year. Many customers are dissatisfied with the fact that their fees are rising, and that the interest rates on their credit cards are being raised. And many of them vent their frustrations on Twitter.

While it might be a good move to interact with customers by going where they congregate online and trying to engage them, it doesn’t always work. After all, there is little sincerity in receiving an @ reply to your unhappy tweet that is overly upbeat and not terribly helpful. If you already have the image of a smarmy bank that is not truly concerned with customer service, a tweet is just going to reinforce the image.

However, if you are company that is working hard to build your online community and show followers that you actually care, an active and useful Twitter account can be helpful. It’s all about a genuine desire to help — one that goes beyond the bottom line.