The statistics are all there. Yet with all the evidence that your business will thrive (and routinely beat) your competition if you excel at customer service, most consumers are still finding this critical element to be lacking across the board.
According to Salesforce.com, 85% of executives recognize improving customer service is the best way to boost profits and increase market share. Through the expansion of technology, customers (and the algorithms which track them) have become much more savvy, and do much of your work for you. They do their own research, find the products that they need, and even identify themselves as your most likely prospects. Once they do contact you, they expect a quick and easy transaction which shows that you value them – or they are on to the next vendor. Customer service, while in decline in many ways, has never been more important.
Customer Service Basics to Grow Your Market
Without customers, businesses can’t be profitable – so it is only logical that you want to keep them around.
The tried-and-true “customer service department” is not the answer in today’s world. Loyal customers are those who experience the same level of customer service from start to finish – meaning that you need to not only be exceptional, but consistent. Traditionally, this encompassed everyone from the front desk receptionist to the installer of the product. In a digital world, it means anyone that they may engage with – whether in person or via phone, chat or IM.
In order to achieve the highest levels of customer service, you need to be proactive and intentional. Realize that while some of these tips seem obvious and trite, your customer’s entire experience should be consistently excellent.
- Hire well – Skill and experience are important, but attitude is invaluable. Your employees should not only be able to do their job, but should also be trusted to be customer-facing if the need arises. An attitude of “that’s not my job” or “these people are annoying” will quickly degrade the entire atmosphere.
- Cultivate Ownership – Speaking of atmosphere, it is important for business to create a culture of ownership. Large companies have realized that stock options and shares taught employees to care about the trajectory of the company. But small organizations can nurture a teamwork culture which recognizes and rewards the positive people who represent the brand with excellence – constantly reminding them of their importance and value.
- Start off Strong – In a digital world, it is easier than ever to walk away before completing a transaction. Make sure that your customers have a clear, easy path to where they want to go and what they want to accomplish. Don’t make your method of contact nearly impossible to find, or discourage them with endless clicks to get to where they are going. Just as a restaurant greeter should say hello within the first 2 seconds of a guest’s arrival, your online client should feel welcomed and appreciated right away.
- Be Personal – 69% of consumers say that personalized customer service makes a significant impact on their likelihood of returning to the vendor. For a local business, this may mean remembering your client’s name when they walk through the door; in an online world, you may offer them the opportunity to simply click to place the same order they placed last time. CRM systems have made this capability nearly seamless, as agents can have a full customer history in front of them as soon as the phone rings. Every consumer has gone through the frustration of having to explain their situation every time they call – don’t be that company.
- Speak their Language – We understand that there is a seemingly endless stream of ways to connect over technology these days. But the fact remains, we still live in a world where half your clientele want to speak to a human, and the other half wants to easily navigate online, sans any human contact. Some clients want to use desktops, others mobile apps. All of them will walk away if their preferred mode of contact is clunky, malfunctioning, or non-existent. Be sure to be accessible to all possible clients, regardless of their preference.
Most of all, remember that your client is the reason for your existence, and is integral to your success. Every single product development meeting, sales call, or technology improvement should consider how it will make the customer experience better.
If you need help with turning your business networks into a customer service powerhouse, call Alliance Technology today.
