Tesco on Facebook

It has been designed to handle customer service queries and alert customers to exclusive offers.

It represents Tesco’s first attempt at creating a centralised Facebook presence, pulling in content highlights from across the brand including recipes and Clubcard information.

There is a strong focus on customer service; the ‘here to help’ tab is prominent and contains contact details for all departments. There are also online discussion forums where customers are invited to leave feedback. So far, Tesco has been quick to respond to comments on the page.

Exclusive offers for Facebook fans are due to feature soon but Tesco has no plans to develop a transactional area.

So far more than 7,000 people ‘like’ the page, although existing unofficial pages have far more fans.

Tesco already has specific Facebook pages covering clothing, greener living, pets and beauty.

While this latest investment shows that social media is an important part of the company’s strategy, Tesco’s Facebook presence has not always been a positive one. In January 2009 the company was criticised after staff created a group called ‘Tesco Employees Could Rule the World’ and posted insulting messages about customers.

At last week’s Retail Week Conference Facebook’s Rick Kelley told delegates that retailers need to be creative and work out how to use information on Facebook to make the network work for them.