Why All Travelers Should Have Twitter Accounts Even if They Don’t Tweet
I can’t believe I’m writing this post. It has taken me years to get into the whole Twitter thing. Many folks, like Jeanne, find it a great way to keep up with friends, track the latest news and more, for me it’s less instinctive and something I’ve had to make a concentrated effort to adopt.
And is it actually worth it? YES! I increasingly find Twitter a better, faster source of customer service within the travel industry than email or phone calls.
It’s great for resolving issues with your airline reservations, sometimes even faster than waiting in line for an agent.
When I was venting about internet connectivity, (problem with the plane not Gogo) they still proactively reached out to help.
It’s a great way to ask simple questions that might take several days to get answered via a Contact Us form.
And it’s a nice way to feel appreciated as a guest.
It’s also a helpful way to find out instantly about fare mistakes and sales, and even have them delivered straight to your phone if you’re not actively following twitter!
But to set the right expectations, not all social media departments are created equal and tweeting should be done in conjunction with some other method to resolve your problem. Some hotel properties rarely check their accounts. But others go above and beyond, not only in responding to requests, but also generating a sense of fun. Some of the best:
@USAirways
@AmericanAir
@Gogo
@hyattconcierge
So I would encourage everyone, even the infrequent traveler, to create a twitter account in advance for those moments when you’d like a quick response and hopefully resolution.
And while you’re signing up, make sure you follow me (@KLATravel) and Jeanne (@Jeanne23), as well as the official @HeelsFirst account. 🙂
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I’ve had a hotel staffer say, “Make sure and tweet that. Management only responds to complaints that come in via social media.”
Agreed! Sometimes it is faster to receive a response from a company via Twitter than email!
Agreed! We utilize Twitter all the time while traveling with the hotels, airlines and car rentals.
Agree 100% that Twitter is fantastic for those who travel – have had great interactions with hotels (Kimpton, Peninsula Chicago, Four Seasons Philly are great as well as restaurants, Azamara cruises and USAirways) Also good to participate in the many travel focus chats (there are few each day) to meet people around the world – I’ve had drinks with folks in Tasmania, Paris and London. Also good to enter contests – I have won many contests for hotel nights, points, gift cards, etc.
I’m curious if companies rank complaints by the possible influence that a twitter use has. If a company gets several complaints, I’m guessing they would rather reply first to users who have a lot of followers than somebody who has barely no followers.