When people look for a company to patronize, they look at a number of factors: track record, quality of product or service, and, at the top of the list, good customer service. If your company wants to beat the competition, then it must have a solid customer service strategy. In fact, according to a study done by Global Contact Survey Center, 88% of companies focus on customer service strategy, because good service is that effective when it comes to growing and maintaining a business.
A customer service strategy is a way to provide your customers with the experience they deserve every time. A well laid-out strategy will help to give your business consistent quality. Customer support should be available throughout their whole journey with your service or product. It doesn’t just end after the customer purchases the product or service. Support should be offered before the transaction, during, and after.
A good customer support reputation will not only retain existing customers, but also build your client list through word-of-mouth and online reviews. Here are some helpful tips for customer service that will take your business to the next level.
Take the Time to Train Your Agents
Customer service agents are the frontline of your company. They are the ones who are directly interacting with customers to make initial sales and to troubleshoot any problems that might pop up. That’s why it’s important that your agents are knowledgable and have a consistent, practical, and quality protocol to follow.
It’s great when an agent is personable and can have a fun and light conversation with a customer, however, it’s more important that they know their stuff. If an agent is trying to make a sale or fix an issue, they will be of no help if they do not know all of the vital information related to the situation.
Taking the time to train agents to be helpful and effective in sales and troubleshooting situations is mission-critical to your company’s well-being. Start by focusing on basic knowledge of your service or product, followed by learning more in-depth information can help an agent go from a 3-star rating to a 10.
Furthermore, your agents should know exactly what to do at all times. They should never question protocol when it comes to sales or troubleshooting. It’s important to have a clear route outlined for them, without having them read directly off a script. If an agent feels confused or lost at any time during their process, the customer will surely pick up on it, and may take their business elsewhere.
Make It A Personal Experience
Every customer likes to be treated like royalty and made to feel special. One of the easiest ways to give them that little something extra is to make the experience feel personal. According to a study done by Segment, 49% of buyers were willing to make an impulse buy after receiving stellar customer service.
Making each customer service experience a personal one starts with the right business tools. All agents should have access to each customer’s account histories. It should be easy-to-manage and access and should be detailed. Account histories should include past conversations with agents, past purchases, and the customer’s personal information.
This not only makes your customer service processes faster and more efficient, but it also lets the customer know that your company cares about them and that you put the customer’s experience first.
Data-driven Decisions Are Key
Data is important in every business decision. It shows a history of what has happened, which leads to smart decision making. Recording and analyzing statistics will allow your company to see clearly in numbers what is working and what isn’t. Customer surveys are a great way to collect data to see where you’re lacking and where you’re excelling.
Utilize Self-Service
In today’s world, customers want convenience. A great way for your company to provide that convenience is with self-service. This can be one of the quickest methods for customers to troubleshoot common problems.
Self-service can come in many forms, including blogs and videos that explain how to fix and resolve issues. This allows your company to lighten the agents’ loads while cutting down on wait time for customers. Of course, this isn’t a customer service replacement, just an added feature to help assist customers.
Have Support Available
Support should be available everywhere throughout your customer’s whole interaction with your company. Customer service should not stop at the transaction; actually, that’s only the beginning!
Customer service support should be available, traditionally, by phone and email. However, in this day in age, many people prefer reaching out via social media platforms to get the support they need. It is not uncommon for Facebook messenger, Instagram, or Twitter to be the first step to a solution for a customer looking to have an issue solved or a question answered.
Having all of these platforms open for your customer will allow them to reach out in their preferred way. This will make them feel comfortable and well-supported, which will only help your business to grow.