Sabina John, Negosentro | Running a successful company is no easy task. Whether you’re in retail or the insurance industry, offering exceptional customer service is one of the most important factors to helping your business grow and thrive. No matter how unique your products are, or how brilliant your staff, if the customer experience is less than stellar, your bottom line will likely suffer. Today’s consumers expect quick, courteous interactions, and the minute they feel their time or concerns are ignored, their trust is gone.
If your small business is struggling to address your customers’ needs and desires, here are five proven strategies designed to increase the quality of interactions and boost customer loyalty and sales.
#1: Provide Multi-Channel Support
Smart companies have begun to realize the necessity of multichannel customer service. This means offering the customer several platforms in which to communicate. Some people prefer to talk to representatives on the phone, others choose to handle their purchases online, and a growing segment wants to leave feedback or make queries via live chat or social media. It’s all about interacting with customers on their preferred channels and ensuring a positive, seamless experience. Businesses that make the effort to provide multichannel support are typically rewarded with higher rates of customer satisfaction and retention.
#2: Offer Scheduled Call Backs
When it comes to resolving complaints or more complex problems, customers generally prefer to speak to a real live person. But what happens when their call is met with a recorded message asking them to hold on for the next available agent? As minutes tick by, frustration sets in, as does the realization that their time is not valuable for your business. One of the easiest solutions to address this scenario – particularly during peak call volume times – is to implement scheduled call backs. Scheduled call-back technology allows customers to leave pertinent info about the issue at hand and arrange a convenient time for a follow-up call. This paves the way for a more positive, personalized customer experience and shows them you value their time.
#3: Ask for Feedback
The best way to understand your customers is to continually ask for feedback and then adapt your services to meet those needs. You can ask them to rate your performance on a scale of 1-6, with a short explanation to back up their scoring. Even if your feedback is negative and critical, be sure to thank the customer, as it shows you take their concerns seriously. Whether it’s a “Contact Us” link on your website, or an emailed survey, providing a platform for customers to give feedback is empowering, as it lets you know what areas need improvement.
#4: Make Knowledge Accessible
Nearly 50 percent of people will abandon an e-commerce transaction if they are unable to find the information they need or an answer to their question. Today’s consumers expect to have data at their fingertips, without having to send an email or make a phone call to a support agent. Ensure that your website is informative and has self-service solutions that empower the customer with the knowledge and the tools needed. This might entail beefing up your FAQ page or implementing a live chat option.
