Interview with Brooke B. Sellas: Navigating the Stormy Seas of Digital Customer Experience

Meet Brooke B. Sellas , a dynamic entrepreneur and digital customer experience consultant whose journey from aspiring weather girl to social media maven is as fascinating as inspiring.?

With a knack for adaptability and a passion for genuine customer connections, Brooke has made her mark as a leading social care consultant and speaker.?

Today, she shares her insights on:?

• the evolution of the buyer's journey,
• the critical role of customer data analytics,?
• and the future of social media in customer service.

1. How has the shift from a traditional funnel to a non-linear buyer’s journey changed how brands approach digital touchpoint mappings, and what are some innovative ways brands can use social media to move customers through the different stages of the buyer’s journey?

Brooke: The modern digital landscape means the customer journey has become more intricate due to the vast array of channels available.?

Customers now effortlessly move between social media, websites, emails, and live chat, anticipating a unified and seamless experience at every interaction.?

Research shows that they’re using social media more than ever to discover new brands, ask peers for brand recommendations, and shop on social channels.

Here are some action steps to take:

1. Determine which social media platforms your customers prefer to use when engaging with your brand.
2. Train your support team to handle inquiries smoothly and efficiently across these social media channels.
3. Ensure that your messaging and branding are consistent across all social media touchpoints to deliver a unified customer experience.

2. How critical is the role of customer data analytics in shaping a brand’s customer experience strategy, and what are some best practices for leveraging this data?

Brooke: With social care, we mostly focus on real-time feedback and the metrics we can determine during those conversations. If it were up to me, I’d focus on:

1. Response Time Tracking (obvious, but critical!)
2. Customer Sentiment Analysis
3. Engagement Metrics (not just conversations, but your social media content, too)
4. Trend & Pattern Detection
5. Volume Fluctuations (to help predict peak times and prepare for high-traffic periods)

3. Can you elaborate on how the C.A.R.E. Method was developed and share a success story from one of your clients who implemented it effectively?

Brooke: The C.A.R.E. Method was developed over about eight years of working with our social care clients. C.A.R.E. stands for Conversation, Acquisition, Retention, and Engagement.

Each element of C.A.R.E. plays a pivotal role in our client's social media and social customer care strategy:

1. Conversation: Initiate and nurture meaningful dialogues with your audience. This is foundational in turning passive followers into active participants.
2. Acquisition: Through proactive engagement, identify potential leads and convert conversations into customers.
3. Retention: Keep your customers returning by providing unparalleled support and timely responses.
4. Engagement: Cultivate a sense of community and loyalty through continuous and sincere interaction.

One of our clients, a billion-dollar consumer tech brand, not only increased their social media response times by over 3,000% (yes, really!).

They found that four of their product lines had a high volume of acquisition conversations happening month over month.?

This allowed us to create an intent-based social selling program for them, which quantifies the ROI from social media for their stakeholders. It’s been nothing short of game-changing!

4. What are some key challenges businesses face in maintaining data quality for AI analysis, and how can they overcome these obstacles to ensure accurate customer segmentation?

Brooke: Maintaining data quality for AI analysis presents several key challenges for businesses.?

Here are some of the obstacles we see the most, along with strategies to overcome them for accurate customer segmentation:

1. Data Inconsistency:
2. Incomplete Data:
3. Lack of Data Governance:
4. Data Privacy and Security Concerns:

5. With so many AI tools available, what criteria should businesses use to select the best platform for their customer segmentation needs?

Brooke: When selecting an AI platform for customer segmentation, businesses should prioritize data integration capabilities to ensure compatibility with various data sources. In layman’s terms: Does this tool talk with our other tools?

The platform should be user-friendly for both technical and non-technical users! In fact, most users won’t be technologists.

Additionally, accuracy and reliability are essential; review performance benchmarks and user feedback to gauge the platform's effectiveness.

6. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge brands face today in providing exceptional social media customer service, and how can they overcome it?

Brooke: Businesses and brands are still viewing customer experience (CX) as a cost center. This is totally backward! When done correctly, it’s a strategic asset AND a revenue driver.

The reason many executives perceive CX as a cost center is primarily due to an antiquated, short-term financial outlook that views customer service as a non-revenue-generating activity.

In reality, customer expectations are higher than ever, and the customer experience can be a significant differentiator with your biggest competitors.

Forward-thinking brands recognize the link between quality social care and overall organizational success with CX.

What’s more, brands that view customer service as a value center — as opposed to a cost center — see 3.5x revenue growth (Accenture).

7. How do you see the role of social media evolving in customer service over the next five years?

Brooke: It’s exciting! It’s BIG! It’s ’get on board or get left behind’.

The role of social media in customer service is poised to become even more integral and sophisticated.?

AI and chatbot technologies will advance, enabling more accurate and instantaneous responses to customer inquiries, thus handling a significant volume of routine queries and allowing human agents to focus on complex issues.

This shift will be part of a broader trend towards omnichannel integration, where social media platforms are seamlessly connected with other customer service channels, creating a more unified customer experience.

Personalized customer interactions will become the norm, with social media platforms leveraging data analytics to offer tailored support and proactive solutions.

Additionally, social media will increasingly serve as a platform for real-time issue resolution, with brands actively monitoring and responding to customer feedback to enhance satisfaction and loyalty.

I hypothesize that these developments will make social media a central hub for customer engagement and support, reshaping how companies interact with their customers!

Brooke’s insights offer a roadmap for navigating the complexities of digital customer experience. Her adaptable, data-driven approach and commitment to genuine customer connections provide valuable lessons for brands aiming to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Check out Brooke’s profile or visit her website at bsquared.media and book an appointment to learn more!