It used to be that customers called in to companies looking for service and just accepted whatever results came their way. However, as a result of the evolution of the internet and social media, customers are now much savvier about the companies they support. They can do research on companies and learn more about how they conduct their business. If the customer is unhappy with the service your company provides, they’re more than willing to take their business elsewhere.
The article “Customer service defines customer experience” by Juan Bezón points out that it’s no longer strictly your company’s product or service that determines whether or not a customer supports your company; it’s the customer experience, which is ultimately determined by your company’s customer service quality.
Customers used to have only the options to contact your company via phone and mail, but now they can reach you through digital routes like social media, live chat, and even text messaging! These communication channels not only opened the door to how the customers can contact you, they also expanded the options for when they can contact you. In addition, these digital communication channels enable customers to share their opinions of your company publicly, whether it’s positive or negative. Plain and simple, if you’re unwilling to embrace this new age of digital media, you’ll find yourself in difficult times in the future.
Bezón states that digital channels ultimately require your company to provide two different types of customer service: assisted, as in human interaction, and non-assisted or self-service. To determine which of these options is best for your customers, you’ll need to do research to discover their trends and also their opinions and thoughts on your company. More than likely, you’ll discover that a growing number of customers prefer self-service methods for not only customer service, but for all of their transactions. People want to have control of all aspects of their lives, and that includes how they spend time and money with your company. This ultimately means if there’s a “do it yourself” option, many customers will select it over traditional methods. However, just because people prefer self-service options, that doesn’t mean you should completely leave behind your traditional call center agents. Automation may be growing and vital to the future, but human agents can offer something that automation can’t: emotional support.
With all of these customer service channels, it’s crucial that your company integrates them as opposed to keeping them as separate entities. Each communication channel needs to work together to provide the best customer experience. This approach is known as omni-channel support. If all of your customer service channels are integrated, you’ll be more capable of providing the best customer experience possible.
Bezón’s final point is regarding the need for proactive engagement and personalization. Utilizing big data and analytics can help give your company insight into your customers’ needs. When you have information on the customers, such as their preferences, transaction history, and previous records of their interactions with your call center, you’ll be able to determine the best approach for satisfying their needs proactively.
This blog was based on an article by Juan Bezón. To read the article, please click here.
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