Working with B2C clients often means working with actual customers to resolve customer service issues. This can be a difficult situation, but in the long run, working through an issue with a customer can not only fix the problem — it can make that individual an advocate for your brand.

With the advent of more and more businesses on social media, tools like Facebook, Twitter, Yelp and many others have created just another medium where businesses have the ability to interact with their customers and confront customer service issues.

When businesses respond to issues, listen to their customers and genuinely want to make a great experience for them, social media can be a huge asset. But, for companies like Netflix (we all remember the debacle of summer/fall 2011), social media can be a nightmare if you misuse it and refuse to listen to complaints.

Delivering great customer service doesn’t have to be a nightmare, though. Brands like Nordstrom have built their empire on doing just that – providing unparalleled customer service. It makes customers happy, and, in turn, creates loyal repeat customers who advocate for the brand.

According to Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, providing great customer service means he doesn’t have to spend as much money on marketing and advertising – his happy customers are his marketing (just ask Dana!). In his book, Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose, Hsieh writes about his journey to discovering that customer service should be the foundation for any successful brand. (If you haven’t read his book, I would highly suggest it! It is my favorite nonfiction read.)

Just from examining the examples above, one could make the argument that customer service is a quality that could propel a brand forward (i.e., Nordstrom and Zappos), or severely damage it (Netflix). Knowing how to listen to complaints and work with customers, especially with the help of social media, is a tremendous opportunity for businesses, and one that should not be overlooked.

What are your opinions on this? Has anyone encountered any great customer service that has made you a lifetime customer?