Facebook lets firms handle social media complaints privately with ‘Pages Messaging’

Facebook has launched a new Pages Messaging feature that lets companies connect with customers via its messenger service.

Pages Messaging will, for example, let firms respond to a complaint on its Wall by messaging the customer privately.
A comment shows a note that the company responded privately so that other Page visitors know that the company handled the request.
Companies can also choose to add a ‘Send Message’ button to adverts on Facebook if they fancy being flooded with abuse about throwing ads into users’ timelines.
Incoming messages to Pages include an attachment that shows which ad prompted the person to reach out and, once someone initiates a message with the business, the business can reply and follow up as necessary.
Companies that keep on top of responding to customers via Messaging will get a congratulatory badge on their page.
“When someone clicks on the Send Message button in an ad, the Facebook Messenger window opens for them to write and send messages to the business,” Facebook explained.
“There’s a reason many people prefer to communicate with friends and family through private messaging: it’s fast and convenient,” Facebook said in a blog post. “And increasingly people want to communicate with businesses in the same efficient way. Over a billion people visit Pages every month looking for more information from businesses.
“Messaging has become a preferred communication channel for people, and now people and businesses on Facebook can start real-time conversations with each other in more ways.
Facebook said Pages that respond to 90 percent of messages and in an average of less than five minutes will have a ‘Very responsive to messages’ badge added to their profiles.