By now we all know about the importance of customer service. In 2018, Microsoft reported that one of the key factors for becoming a loyal customer to a brand was customer service. The report found that good customer service increases the chances of someone becoming a loyal customer by 96%. That’s nothing to sneeze at. Here are our top five tips to help improve your customer service.
Take care of your staff first
The first step to improve your customer service is to make sure your team is taken care of. It may initially seem backwards to put your staff first. But the truth is your team are the people talking directly to your customers. Trusting your staff’s judgement and offering them support when needed sets the foundation for your staff to better help your customers.
Offer self-service options for customers
There is no doubt that having a customer service team is crucial. However, some customers just prefer to find the answers to their problems on their own. Research has shown that 70% of customers expect a company’s website to include self-service options. These options can include support content such as articles and blog posts, walkthrough videos, etc. Creating a self-serve option not only can reduce the number of customer support emails and calls but also provides customers with the tools to find a solution quickly.
Take advantage of technology
In the age of technology, there are numerous tools at our disposal. So why not simplify your customer service workflow? If you haven’t already, consider creating a chat function on your website (whether it be AI or otherwise). If your team uses social media, tools like Hootsuite allow users to see all incoming messages from all social media channels. For incoming emails, start using automated email delegation tools like Emailgistics which has routing tools that ensure the right team member receives messages. Moreover, automating your customer service email prevents multiple agents from engaging with the same query. To learn more about how Emailgistics can help your customer service workflow click here.
Don’t underestimate the importance of customer feedback
Many people may write off implementing customer feedback tools such as surveys or reviews based on the notion that most customers will not be interested in providing feedback. However, understanding the customer’s perspective is vital even if it’s a small percentage of customers that offer feedback. Consider adding incentives like a discount or a chance to win a prize to customers who share their feedback. By collecting and analyzing data you can better understand your customers and thus make appropriate adjustments to your current customer experience plan.
