Responding quickly or providing the right answer to customer questions?
- B2B
- Social Media Marketing, AI, AI Personalization
- Marketing Consultancy
- Customer Experience (CX), Artificial Intelligence, Social Media Marketing
- Part 1Social disconnect between brands & consumers
- Part 2Do consumers want brands to slide into their DMs?
- Part 3Are AI-generated influencers a trend or trash?
- Part 4 Responding quickly or providing the right answer to customer questions?
- Part 5Double down on a top-performing social channel or diversify efforts across multiple channels?
Episode Chapters
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01:34: Speed vs. accuracy in customer service
Discusses the importance of balancing quick response times with accurate answers when addressing customer inquiries on social media, with data showing most users expect responses within 24 hours.
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02:40: AI's role in customer service
Explains how AI can handle routine customer service questions at scale while allowing marketers to focus on more authentic interactions that require a human touch.
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03:35: Immediacy over perfection
Explores why acknowledging customer concerns quickly and showing empathy is often more important than providing a perfect solution immediately.
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Episode Summary
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Responding Quickly or Providing the Right Answer to Customer Questions? Social Media's Disconnect
Introduction
In this episode, Benjamin Shapiro interviews Scott Morris, Chief Marketing Officer at Sprout Social, about the disconnect between what marketers think and what consumers actually want from social media. Sprout Social, a global leader in social media management and analytics software, recently conducted research surveying customers, social practitioners, and marketing leaders to uncover changing consumer relationships and expectations. Morris shares valuable insights on how brands can effectively navigate these evolving dynamics to build stronger customer connections through social media. -
Speed vs. Accuracy in Customer Service
The episode opens with a critical question for marketers: what matters more - responding quickly or providing the right answer to customer service questions? According to Morris, speed is essential, with research showing that "two-thirds of users expect a response within 24 hours or they're going to go to a competitor if you're not responsive." However, he emphasizes that generic replies are no longer acceptable either. The modern consumer demands both speed and personalization, creating a challenging balance for brands to maintain. -
Finding the Right Balance
Morris suggests that AI can help marketers achieve this balance, not through AI influencers or chatbots, but by handling basic routine questions at scale in the brand's voice. This technology application allows marketing teams to focus their human resources on more authentic, crafted outreach that requires a personal touch. The strategic implementation of AI for routine inquiries creates efficiency while preserving the human element for more complex customer interactions. -
The Value of Immediate Acknowledgment
Shapiro argues that immediate response is actually more important than a perfect but delayed answer. He illustrates this with a personal example of a broken grill and his frustration with delayed customer service. What customers often want first is acknowledgment and empathy: "Dang, that sucks that the grill doesn't work. It's really rare that that happens... Hang on a minute. Let me see what I can do for you." This initial response buys time to develop the perfect solution while maintaining customer goodwill. -
The Psychology of Customer Service
Morris agrees with this approach, noting that "perfection is the enemy of the good." The most important element is demonstrating that you're listening and that the customer has been heard, even without an immediate solution. This insight challenges the common marketing assumption that comprehensive answers are always better than quick acknowledgments. For brands managing social media channels, implementing systems that allow for rapid initial responses can significantly improve customer satisfaction and retention. -
Key Takeaways for Marketers
The research from Sprout Social reveals important disconnects between marketer assumptions and consumer expectations on social media. For marketing technology professionals, the implications are clear: invest in systems that enable rapid response capabilities while maintaining personalization. Balancing automation (for speed) with human touch (for authenticity) represents the optimal approach to social media customer service. As platforms evolve and consumer expectations continue to rise, brands that master this balance will gain significant competitive advantage in building lasting customer relationships. -
- Part 1Social disconnect between brands & consumers
- Part 2Do consumers want brands to slide into their DMs?
- Part 3Are AI-generated influencers a trend or trash?
- Part 4 Responding quickly or providing the right answer to customer questions?
- Part 5Double down on a top-performing social channel or diversify efforts across multiple channels?
Up Next:
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Part 1Social disconnect between brands & consumers
Social media creates a disconnect between brands and consumers. Scott Morris, CMO at Sprout Social, shares research revealing how consumers use social platforms as discovery engines and customer service channels. Brands must balance cultural relevance without chasing every trend, maintain platform diversification to reach audiences authentically, and deliver personalized interactions within 24 hours to prevent customers from switching to competitors.
Play Podcast -
Part 2Do consumers want brands to slide into their DMs?
Social media marketing faces a consumer-brand disconnect. Scott Morris, CMO at Sprout Social, shares research revealing the gap between marketer assumptions and actual consumer preferences on social platforms. His data shows consumers expect personalized responses in DMs when they initiate contact, but resist unprompted brand messages, highlighting how timely, relevant engagement builds loyalty while intrusive approaches damage relationships.
Play Podcast -
Part 3Are AI-generated influencers a trend or trash?
Social media marketing faces a growing disconnect between brands and consumers. Scott Morris, CMO at Sprout Social, shares research on how consumer relationships are evolving differently than what platforms intend. He explores the controversial rise of AI-generated influencers, revealing split consumer sentiment while highlighting how younger generations show greater openness to artificial brand ambassadors. Morris also discusses how brands can effectively navigate these changing dynamics to break through increasing social media noise.
Play Podcast -
Part 4Responding quickly or providing the right answer to customer questions?
Social media response speed vs. accuracy: which matters more? Scott Morris, CMO at Sprout Social, shares research on the disconnect between marketer perceptions and actual consumer expectations. Morris reveals that two-thirds of users expect responses within 24 hours and explains how AI can handle routine inquiries while allowing marketers to focus on authentic, personalized engagement that requires human touch.
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Part 5Double down on a top-performing social channel or diversify efforts across multiple channels?
Social channel strategy: focus or diversify?nnScott Morris, CMO at Sprout Social, shares research on the disconnect between marketer assumptions and actual consumer preferences on social platforms. He advocates for strategic platform diversification based on audience demographics while emphasizing the importance of mastering primary channels before expanding. Morris recommends using social listening to track relevant conversations across networks and aligning channel selection with specific brand goals rather than attempting omnipresence.
Play Podcast
