Whether you’re running a multi-national corporation or an operation of one, customer service is essential to the success of the business. Many businesses are trending towards automating their service responses with modern technologies and innovative gadgets. However, if they pay attention to what their customers are saying, no doubt they would find that human interaction has an even greater role in the customer experience. Here are the top seven trends that will win customers in 2015.
1. Customer service is no longer 9 to 5
Customers today expect businesses to be available to answer queries and resolve issues 24/7, even when your office closes at 5pm. That means having an interactive website, and hands-on social media that keeps pulse on what customers are saying and have the ability to respond after hours as needed.
2. Exceptional employees should be rewarded
Many companies have written policies and training but fail to acknowledge the individual or team efforts of the employees whose job it is to keep the customer happy. If you want to maintain relationships with your most valuable customers, then a system that rewards and encourages employees who go above and beyond the call of duty is essential to the success of the business.
3. Customers will leave if they don’t get what they want
Today’s customer is very savvy and knows that there’s competition out there. They want to be listened to and feel appreciated. They will be loyal to you if you treat them with respect and value their time and money. However, they will not hesitate to take their business to your competitors if you take them for granted.
4. Customer’s expect you to solve their problems in record time
This one is tricky for many businesses – responding quickly with a solution that is satisfactory to the customer. It should not be too difficult if you have established customer guidelines, and people dedicated to resolving customer complaints. Your response should include recommendations for a solution and an estimated time frame for resolution. The longer the lag time between when a complaint is lodged and a solution is reached, the more likely it is that you are going to lose that customer.
5. Policy is not set in stone
When a customer is upset, the last thing he/she wants to hear is about your ‘policy’. Policies are guidelines for how the company should operate but they should not be so inflexible as to leave your employees incapable of taking action to resolve a given situation. Create an environment where your employees understand how the company values its customers and empower them to make decisions to keep these customers happy.
6. Customers care about reviews
Whether they’re buying a dress or booking a vacation, customers regularly read the reviews to hear what other customers are saying about the product and the company. Stay away from the practice by some of paying people to post reviews about your business. Savvy customers can easily spot the fakes as they often sound disingenuous. Concentrate on encouraging actual customers to post reviews about their experience.
7. Make social media responses personal
“Please DM your number” is not going to cut it in 2015. Customers on social media just want a quick response right then and there to whatever they ask. Unless the issue is personal to the customer’s account, many issues can be resolved with a post or two. If you need to follow up in another medium, do so quickly and ensure that the issue is resolved to the customer’s satisfaction during that interaction.