In the age of the customer, the consumer is in control. DestinationCRM recently posted an article about customer service defining the brand. A summary of that article below.
Customers Define Brands
Brands are no longer defined by what they make or do, but rather by what their customers think. Perhaps Forrester Principal Analyst Kate Leggett says it best: “In the age of the customer, executives don’t decide how customer-centric their companies are—customers do.” Customer service is quickly becoming the next big brand differentiator.
In the past, strong products and services or low prices offset poor service, but today’s customers are demanding more. With social media, consumers now have more power, and brands are defined and measured by what customers say. Last year, 62% of global consumers switched service providers due to poor customer service experiences, a continuing trend in recent years. Companies are losing customers to their competition because they’re losing ground when it comes to engagement.
The Cost of Poor Customer Service
In person and online, customer expectations of timely and effective support are only continuing to increase. According to Forrester Research, 45% of U.S. consumers will abandon an online transaction if their questions or concerns are not answered quickly. The minute they leave your site, they are taking their business—and their dollars—to your competitors.
Fortunately, the costly ramifications of poor customer service can be reduced if a brand uses its omnichannel customer service solution to its fullest.
Some basic starting points:
- Be where your customers are. To give your customers a positive experience, be available on the channels of their convenience. Beyond phone, email, and support portal, these include mobile, social media, and live chat, to name just a few.
- Respond quickly. The younger generation of today’s consumers and businesspeople has grown up with the Internet, instant messaging, and real-time texts. Providing a response within 24 hours may now be considered too slow for many.
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