Putting off a response to a tweet may not be good practice.
According to a Lithium press release
Customers have high expectations for a quick response. 53% expect a brand to respond to their Tweet & demand that response comes in less than an hour, according to the Lithium-commissioned study by Millward Brown Digital. The bottom line is you need to respond in under 2 hours.
If it is a complaint then 72% of the people expect a brand to respond within 1 hour. People who complain expect a quick response.
What are the consequences of poor response times? 38% feel more negative about the brand and/or company and 60% will take unpleasant actions to express their dissatisfaction.
Timely responses to Twitter, on the other hand are rewarded & remember these exchanges are occurring in the public domain, so it will have a domino effect on followers. When a brand responds in a timely manner on Twitter:
47% of people recommend the brand through social media
43% of people encourage friends and family to buy from the brand / company
42% of people praise the company through social media
38% of people are receptive to advertisements
34% of people buy more of the company’s products
It is necessary to stress the importance of building trusted relationships with customers on Twitter. Twitter generates a sense of community. It can help to raise brand awareness and allow brands and consumers to interact in real time.
Image credits Search Engine Watch