If you’re in customer service, marketing communications or any other industry who deals with customer service on a daily basis then you know that your customers’ satisfaction is your top priority. And to keep customers happy and coming back time and time again, then having the best customer support and experience is key. Every customer is different, but these tips are sure to put your customer support above the rest, no matter who you’re dealing with.
Lightning-speed Email
Okay maybe not lightning speed, but customers are expecting almost instant responses so you have to make sure that email replies are quick but still personal. For example, you can set up an automatic email reply with the following message: “Hi (customer name)! We received your inquiry, one of our customer support team members will be with you shortly.” This lets the customer know that they won’t be ignored, and it gives you some time to research and resolve their issue. Since yours customers don’t always have time to call in, sending a quick email is the easiest way for customers to reach you.
24/7 Live Chat
Since we live in a world that thrives off of instant gratification, customers want you to be able to fix their problem or answer their question at any given moment. 24/7 live chat is a helpful software tool that allows your customers to ask questions and get support anytime, anywhere. Having 24/7 live chat support available on your website is going to make your customers feel important and allow for your business to flourish even out of business hours.
Social Media Presence
We live in a social-media driven world so making sure your business has a strong online presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms is key. Many successful companies like Spotify for example, have even created separate accounts just for answering customer support inquiries online. The Twitter account @SpotifyCares provides company updates, suggests usage tips and interacts with its followers by responding to customer questions and testimonials, both good and bad. This makes companies look modern and provides yet another outlet for exceptional customer support.
Automated Phone Directory
Technology can be complicated, so connecting with a real person is sometimes all a customer wants. With that being said, sometimes it takes forever to get a hold of a real person since there are so many options to listen to before getting to the right customer service rep. Providing your customer’s with a detailed phone menu with step-by-step instructions on your website will avoid confusion and help your customers get to you faster.
FAQ Page
Another helpful online tool for your website is to provide your customers with a FAQ page. FAQ pages act as the first point of contact for customers before deciding to call or email customer support. FAQs can provide information that might not have been clear on other website pages and alleviate any concerns your customers might be having. In addition, FAQ pages also reduce some of the traffic to your customer support team by answering your most common customer inquiries.
Whether your customers prefer to call in or live chat with your company, make sure to cover all of your bases to create the best possible customer experience. Having multiple methods of customer support will bring (and keep!) you customers of all demographics and help you meet their individual needs.
