Facebook’s App: Connecting Consumers with Brands

In a constantly evolving e-commerce landscape, more consistent and effective messaging with and between online consumers is an increasingly valuable commodity. Most of all, it ties consumer loyalty and engagement closer with brands who serve them.

Phone surveys have expedited consumer response that in the past took weeks using mail. Now,  online chat connects consumers to corporate agents faster than busy telephone lines and the scourge of so-called ‘phone trees’. With the latest move, Facebook’s mobile app – Facebook Messenger – is attempting to open even more direct lines of communication btween consumers and brands..

Facebook concluded its sixth F8 developer conference in March, announcing a host of new products and tools to make app development and growth easier — and more profitable. Developers certainly took notice, but so should businesses who depend on constant and relaible contact with their consumers.

This was undoubtedly the genesis behind Facebook’s announcement of Messenger for Business, a new and innovative way for consumers to connect and interact with their favorite brands. Messenger for Business significantly bolsters companies’ online presence by facilitating a variety of interactions, whether it be one-click package tracking, e-receipts, modifying orders, or asking questions to a live chat agent — all in one application.

According to CX Act’s landmark Omnichannel customer care study, ease of access to previous transaction information is a key driver of customer satisfaction when utilizing a self-service mobile channel to connect with a company. This reinforces the notion that consumers are tired of the loose ‘threads’ of call center phone calls and emails, having to start anew with an unfamiliar customer service agent with each new issue, question, or follow-up. By grouping many interactions together in one ‘thread’, the interaction with a company becomes more akin to a conversation, and it’s this personalization that will allow brands to connect with consumers in a more in-depth, meaningful way.

A more personalized relationship with the consumer provides the opportunity to offer more personalized solutions, which has been identified as a leading driver for customer satisfaction when utilizing a self-service mobile channel for customer support.

Given these opportunistic levers, Facebook’s Messenger for Business has a real shot at becoming a growing and in-demand customer support channel for businesses..

Here’s how: companies integrating Messenger can now offer a singular dialogue thread that a consumer can choose to initiate with their company — one that quickly and easily provides purchase information including receipts and shipment trackers without having to navigate through multiple applications and windows. Facebook users can also shop directly through Messenger, making purchases within that same thread, as well as conduct live chat with business to ask questions, resolve issues, and so on. Customers can even take pictures of their orders and embed them in the conversation for quicker problem resolution. Businesses can provide push notifications (with permission) to users to give them important updates on orders.

Simply put, it’s this type of personal connection with companies that engender brand loyalty — a proven way to increase customer satisfaction and, in turn, profit.

Apps like Messenger for Business can transform the way e-commerce looks and feels in the future by focusing on practical features which are innovative and beneficial. Savvy businesses looking to optimize their omnichannel customer care should consider digital levers such as this app – and others – to foster and grow brand loyalty.