RAF enlists Echo Managed Services to manage social media interactions

Echo is a specialist provider of complex multi-channel customer contact services, and has been selected to curate and manage the RAF’s official @RAFReserves and @RAFCareers Twitter feeds, as well as the operation and staffing of its RAF Regiment Recruitment and RAF Careers Facebook presences. Echo has in-depth experience of working closely with RAF Careers to support its multi-channel interactions, and is now extending its expertise to deliver further support across social media channels.

According to Adam Proctor, Digital Media Manager for the Royal Air Force: “Due to the 24x7 nature of social media we want to ensure we respond as efficiently and intelligently as possible to questions and posts on our multiple Facebook and Twitter channels. We previously managed all of our social media marketing using our in-house marketing team, but were really keen to work with Echo to expand our capabilities and to increase out-of-hours social activity support. Echo has a proven track record of providing RAF Careers with an excellent multi-channel service – with impressive results – so we were keen to take advantage of their in-depth operational expertise to ensure that we delivered the same high quality service standards across our key Facebook and Twitter channels.

“Echo offers a comprehensive out-of-hours service with dedicated RAF-trained agents who now check our social media accounts every 15 minutes and respond to enquiries. The same trained Echo agents also answer voice calls for RAF Careers, so they’re fully up to speed with our requirements - providing a consistent level of support across our multiple channels,” continued Adam Proctor. “Engaging Echo to handle these additional social media channels will allow us to provide a more responsive Facebook and Twitter presence to match recruit expectations – especially as social media channels are an increasingly popular choice for the younger generations – our key target demographic for recruits is the 16-24 age group.”

“Having an effective social media presence is an essential component of today’s customer journey, and an essential contact channel for major organisations such as the Royal Air Force, particularly as interaction volumes scale and potential recruits expect further support outside of normal office hours,” added Nigel Baker, Managing Director, Echo Managed Services. “Here at Echo we are constantly looking to help clients adopt new communication channels and, for the RAF, Twitter and Facebook are proving dynamic and effective communication method to reach out to their target audience age group. Our agents are expert at curating social channels and providing immediate answers to queries, while also understanding the need to identify and escalate more complex requests – such as sensitive posts - as required. It is great that the RAF understands and has recognised the value Echo can deliver to them in terms of supporting their complex multi-channel requirements.”

About The Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force’s role, in conjunction with the Defence organisations, is to deliver the UK Defence Vision:

• Defend the UK and its interests
• Strengthen international peace and stability
• Be a force for good in the world

http://www.raf.mod.uk