"Thanks!" to alicialoveseveryone (in this post), who shared the following article from Time's MoneyLand (click here to read in its entirety):Many Big Retailers Don’t Respond to Customer Questions on FacebookI am surprised that J.Crew does not embrace social media as much as their sister-company Madewell. I find Madewell to be ahead of the curve when it comes to reaching out to their customers through a variety of technological platforms. J.Crew... not so much.
By Mitch Lipka
March 27, 2012
If you’re hoping to get better customer service by posting questions to a retailer’s Facebook page, be prepared for disappointment, according to a survey released today. Major retailers including J.Crew, Victoria’s Secret and Radio Shack not only didn’t respond to questions within two days, they actually deleted them, the customer service evaluation company STELLAService found.
The findings are something of a jolt to the idea that consumers can turn to social media to get more effective customer service. While there are still plenty of examples of consumers using both Twitter and Facebook to their advantage, this survey shows just how inconsistent the results can be, and that some are far more committed to properly playing the social networking game than others.
Only five of 20 retailers both responded within 48 hours and left customer queries on their Facebook pages: B&H Photo, Gap, Bed Bath & Beyond, JackThreads.com, and Williams-Sonoma. ...
“While retailers have enthusiastically embraced Facebook as a way to engage with consumers, many have yet to fully appreciate social media’s two-way nature when it comes to providing customer service,” STELLAService CEO Jordy Leiser said. “Retailers need to realize that two days in Facebook time is like two years in real-time. Consumers are used to real-time engagement with friends on Facebook, so it’s unnatural to spend days waiting for any kind of response.”
I am currently a fan of J.Crew's Facebook page but I do not find it necessarily informative. I am not exactly sure what extra benefits they offer to customers.
I have seen other companies, like Land's End, excel at using Facebook as a tool to reach out. It would definitely be to J.Crew's benefit to step up on this front.
What are your thoughts on the article? Do you find J.Crew's Facebook page informative? Do you visit? Are you a fan?
They don't respond on Twitter either - they haven't even got their account verified. I'm shocked that they're not embracing it more because with blogs like this one (and others including mine), they get TONS of free advertising. Wouldn't it be amazing if they engaged those customers as well?
ReplyDeleteJ Crew should take a lesson from Talbots on this one. The Talbots FB page is super active, and they have this 'Talbots Wizzard' who will respond to you within hours for all sorts of questions from product availability to pricing and sizing.
ReplyDeleteI have had amazing service with talbots online. they have really helped me out several times. I agree talbots website on facebook is fantastic
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSigh, they don't get it, and I'm not saying that just as a hard core JCrew lover. I work in retail and consumer packaged goods consulting - helping companies build customer centric enterprises that focus on growth. My days are spent looking at marketing, merchandising, operations, all the different customer touch points and how to optimize the experience...and it's sad how much JCrew does not get. For every little blip of positive(a personal shopper reach out, a great store experience, the best customer surprise and delight holiday piece from a few years ago) there are epic stretches of nothing, which in a lot of ways is worse than doing something wrong.
ReplyDeleteI hold up JCrew as compared to someone like a Sephora, who actively engages across all channels, including encouraging customer interactions. They have an app for me to keep track of what I've bought for easy re-order, they breakdown the silo between store and online, they ENCOURAGE social interaction across channels. Sure, JCrew blogs on tumblr and posts pictures on facebook, but it's so much more than just a brand, and it seems like so many retailers today don't get that.
It's evolve or die time - they've sunk a lot of money into re-establishing the brand, now it's time to shift the focus back to the customers, because at the end of the day, that's where the money comes from.
Excellent posts. I do so much Online shopping I rarely go to the actual stores anymore. I am amazed just in this past
Deleteweek...I've found new sites great prices and great customer service with great follow up. It is Important that j crew really improve in these areas SOON.
Hear hear! What little they do is scattered and not helpful for the brand. It's really not hard to do in this day and age. There's just no excuse for the current state of affairs.
DeleteI've said it before and I'll say it again -- J Crew's social media "strategy" {snark snark} = FAIL. They have all resources in the world. So why are they still lagging in so many respcts!? So frustrating!
ReplyDeleteI agree. Other retailers (Sephora for example) manage to respond almost instantly to customer comments/questions on their facebook page. It really makes me feel good as a customer! J.Crew's strategy definitely leaves something to be desired. It always feels like they are hiding things from the customers which in today's world just doesn't cut it.
DeleteMadewell is J.Crew's younger, hipper and tech-intelligent younger sister.
ReplyDeleteJ. Crew needs to catch up or be left behind. They're definitely out of touch with today's tech-savvy customers!
At least J.Crew usually has good telephone customer service. IME Williams Sonoma telephone customer service agents are truly appalling, so their Facebook page is the only option to get decent customer service.
ReplyDeleteAnd, surprisingly, American Express deleted my post and blocked me from their Facebook page when I posted about a problem I was having with a holiday promotion. There was nothing abusive or offensive in my post and absolutely no reason for them to react like that. I was totally shocked.
OMG! That would be so offensive to me as a customer. I'd probably be mad enough to close my account. That's something else.
DeleteJ.Crew Facebook page, twitter etc are useless.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand I don't want the retailers to engage me or to reach out to me too much. First I want them to have pictures on their website that represent the garments correctly and I would love to see the measurements, model stats and size they are wearing. This is simple but very useful.
And yes, the wishlist.
All the tech/social media/marketing innovations may actually be quite invasive. How would you feel if you got an email from J.Crew advertising a new blouse and tell you this would go great with the pencil skirt you bought last week? It would freak me out, even if I know they do have that information and my email address. jmo.
This is OT, but I posted pictures and reviews of some (yet) unreleased dresses and other goodies HERE.
ReplyDeleteAgreed with AJC. While improving their social media is a nice thing to do, there are higher priorities for JC.
ReplyDeleteJC has a much stronger brand than Williams Sonoma (I used to work at WS, in the days when they made money - meow) and I have had only bad experiences at Sephora - I never buy from there anymore.
I second Talbots "Wizard" responses on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteThey really do answer many product and customer service questions. Everyone kinda expects a pretty fast response now - customers will re-post and ask where the Wizard went if they don't get a reply in a few hours.
That's really smart of them. FB is an opportunity in so many ways. Not right for everyone, sure, but a necessity these days for many -- and something retailers should pursue as part of their customer relationship management strategy.
DeleteEven the negative posts are an opportunity if they're handled properly. Deleting them is shady.
The Limited is the same way...you used to be able to ask a questions or post a complaint about poor service but now they just delete any facebook comments.
ReplyDeleteI don't personally have a FB account. I find it way easier to go live chat on the J. Crew website... instant help, no middle-man. I might just be social-media-shy, though!
ReplyDeleteI do like the live chat feature on the website - I've gotten good information very quickly that way.
ReplyDeleteOT - some of the new price cuts at the top of this post
ReplyDeleteI guess JC is using Facebook as just another advertising medium, and NOT for interaction with customers, hence the deleted comments.
ReplyDeleteI forget JC even has Facebook and Twitter accounts for how often they use them. Which it's like, why go through the motions of creating the accounts if you're not going to do anything with them?
ReplyDeleteI have long been a fan of J Crew and when I was living in the US I was a loyal customer of theirs. When I moved to Australia I enquired if J Crew would be shipping to Australia. Initially the answer was no but this changed recently and J Crew launched an Australian site. This was greeted with much excitement by Australians until we realised that we’re being charged up to 50% than US customers. An email was shot off to J Crew customer service who replied telling me they have to cover the costs of operating in Australia. The thing is that they do not operate in Australia in any way, shape or form. They merely post here. Somehow Shopbop.com can manage this without gouging Australian customers. Ditto Saks Fifth Ave. But not J Crew – J Crew apparently believes Australian consumers are stupid and that’s a big mistake, especially considering how cashed up the average Australian is. I’ve started an information campaign so Australian shoppers are made aware that J Crew is trying to rip us off. I have approached J Crew on a number of occasions to discuss this but have so far been ignored. Such a pity.
ReplyDeleteI wish J.Crew personalized their interactions with their customers/fans on their FB page. We are such a passionate group of people that really spend a lot of time and energy lifting up a company that we already spend a lot of money and time on. Sometimes I do see J.Crew's facebook page along with other retailers who are bombarded with complaints and negative reviews and unfortunately, it seems sometimes these can outweigh or "outshine" the positives and perhaps out of embarassment and bad marketing they delete these posts. I think they should not be deleted but rather dealt with in a positive in professional way, which in my opinion, can lead to better and perhaps more positive marketing for the company in the long run as opposed to nothing happening at all. ( I have a hospitality degree lol so I have always learned that complaints are actually great opportunities to permanently create a positive brand association with the guest as opposed to average service with no problems at all). Service Recovery!
ReplyDelete<3
I went to their facebook page to complain about receiving an item in the wrong size and they contacted me and told me that they were reshipping the correct item and also sent me a personalized letter and an $25 gift card for my trouble. i attached a picture too. it was a while ago, so I don't know if the policy regarding that has changed. it also could be because i have received the wrong size on items multiple times and one time they sent me a mens shirt when i ordered a pencil skirt.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so awesome! Maybe they delete the complaint comments and then secretly take care of it?
Delete