What makes a business owner successful is knowing the difference between reactive customer service and proactive customer service. Reactive customer service occurs when a business must remedy a situation that went wrong after the fact. Proactive customer service nips problems in the bud long before customers reach out with queries or complaints. Being able to anticipate issues that may arise helps business owners stay in tune with their customers' needs, increasing the amount of respect built toward their brand.

Social media is a tool that has made this a lot easier for businesses. Prior to the sudden streamlined process in customer engagement, companies would have to resort to proactive customer service in the form of FAQs, forums, informative videos, etc.

Social media took proactive customer service to the next level, as it enabled companies to recognize trends in what would satisfy their customers in the types of problems and queries that would arise.

According to Bain and Company, "Customers who engage with companies over social media spend 20 to 40% more money with those companies."

Khoros also stated, "Research indicates approximately 67% of consumers now use social media networks like Twitter and Facebook to seek resolution for issues. Social media allows customers to effortlessly reach out to brands, so it's important to ensure your digital presence enables you to provide timely and personalized care."