Since the fallout of the Dell Hell crisis in 2007 Dell has transformed its social customer services to lead the world. Though it’s Twitter handle, @dellcares, Dell claims to have turned 35% of demoters (critics) to promoters. They monitor over 22,000 daily posts and have a reach that exceeds the circulation of the top 12 American newspapers combined.

Here are the five critical steps taken by Dell:

1. The have implemented a centralised Command Centre. This enables them to resolve a high volume of problems using a wall of screens and a trained team of customer care staff.
2. They avoid responding as “Dell”. Each tweet is personalised (with initials) and each customer care staff member has a headshot on the Profile Page.
3. Dell’s dedicated social media team are able to involve the right departments that can help resolve each issue, avoiding customers falling through the cracks.
4. Dell doesn’t force people to contact them through social media, it’s is just part of the mix.
5. In an admission that not everything can be resolved in 140 characters, Dell has set out a clear process of up-scaling problems beyond the front-line team.

Frank Eliason, formerly @comcastcares, now SVP Social Media at Citi, is speaking in New York at Social CRM 2011 (3^rd Nov.) on how to create “a lifetime of trust” between your company and its customers. Tickets are just $195 but you can get an extra 10% off using this code: MN10.