If you’re looking for ways to improve your company’s customer support, you’ve likely come across a solid amount of articles and lists that tell you the things your team should be doing. These kinds of tips can be an excellent starting point for putting together an effective support approach. But it’s equally important to have an idea of the strategies you’ll want to avoid.
Customer support is a make or break service for a business that differs by region. While 24/4 live chats and support phone numbers that connect to skilled agents and managers are the most direct ways to communicate with your audience, it helps to also practice proactive support techniques.
Unsatisfied customers are three times more likely1 to share their negative experiences than happy ones. There’s also the fact that unsatisfied customers tend to cost you. It can take up to 12 positive experiences to make up for just one unresolved negative one. Angry and frustrated customers can tarnish your brand’s name, while satisfied customers mean more great recommendations and reviews for your business.
On any given day, a startup owner might wear a dozen hats, taking on the role of a business analyst, marketer, human resources personnel, inventory clerk, warehouse manager, and customer service agent, among other things. With so many priorities competing for attention, it can be daunting to ensure your customers receive top-grade service without detracting from an already strained budget and timetable.
For many larger businesses, it can often be difficult to keep up with the flood of support tickets and customer issues that flood in – even with a powerful helpdesk. Often, the proposed solution is to hire more support staff to alleviate the extra work, but that’s not always a great solution. For instance, you’ll have to be able to afford the extra staff. That may not always be a possibility.
Growing a successful business requires a strong understanding of your target audience. Beyond knowing the basic demographic information of the ideal customer, marketers also need to be familiar with their needs, interests, and decision-making process. After all, earning loyal customers doesn’t just mean getting your brand in front of a specific group of people.
Measuring and analyzing customer support performance can be challenging. The quality of a customer’s experience with your team is a bit more subjective than, say, the ROI of a marketing campaign, or the sales of a new product.
When people think of “customer service” sometimes they think of call centers. Sometimes they think of the people they get on the chat with when their internet or credit card stops working. Maybe they think about being at an automated machine that’s not working and calling the hotline number they found on the peeling sticker on the machine.
At the end of every year, managers and executives alike need to look into the future to plan their next steps. What new technology do you need to budget for? What are customers asking for now? What new skills do your agents need to develop – or do you need to hire for? The top trends in customer support can help illuminate a path forward.
