Has your organization adjusted its customer service strategy to accommodate the new COVID-19 world we now live in? Customer needs are changing fast. We, as organizations need to adapt at the same rate. In this blog we will look at some emerging trends that could be here to stay. Customer fear, anxiety and frustration are presenting both challenges as well as opportunities for businesses to shine.
Businesses who serve their customers with compassionate customer service will be rewarded with improved brand perception and more loyal customers post-crisis. Conversely, inaccessible, ineffective, or unresponsive customer service will leave customers with a negative lasting impression. Being there for your customers has never been so important.
Responsive, friendly interactions
Nobody wants to be told to wait for support; that’s especially true when the support is about deferring payments, moving travel plans, or other time-sensitive transactions. In fact, 58% of customers prefer to solve urgent issues by calling for support rather than use other channels. When customers can speak with a compassionate human, they will leave the interaction feeling better than they did before – that’s a customer service win in our books.
Reducing wait times and frustrations
One underlying concern for businesses is how they can reduce customer wait times and frustrations. Many of our customers have come to us when they are up to their ears in customer requests and calls. Partnering with a response centre is one of the quickest ways to reduce wait times. One subsequent benefit of using a response centre is the plethora of data that comes in the form of a monthly report.
Utilizing your response centre data can help you schedule more efficiently as traffic patterns emerge more clearly. Just make sure your response centre has a customer service focus before committing.
Other forms of connecting
The goal is to be as accessible to your customers as possible, and that means digital solutions will become more prominent too. Live chat solutions offer a competitive response time to live calls, and for some customers it is the preferred method of contact.
Be cautious with your live chat. If you don’t have a customer service representative actively monitoring the chat, do not make it available to customers. If a customer engages in a live chat and doesn’t get a response within a minute or two, it will be an even more frustrating experience for them.
Human empathy over everything
Even before the crisis, PwC research showed that 59 percent of global consumers surveyed felt companies had lost touch with the human element of customer experience, and 75 percent of the customers surveyed preferred to interact with a human versus an automated machine.
Consumers will lean on the help of customer service representatives now more than ever. For example, purchasing items without the ability to physically see it, try it on, test it out, etc. is all in the hands of your customer service reps. Trusted, quality advice is more valuable than ever.
Changing customer values
Customers may not be attracted to the coolest, newest, shiny toy on the market. Emotional intelligence and human empathy have the potential to thrive during the pandemic and shape the future of customer service. Customers will move to brands that understand their pain points, actively help them find solutions, and are responsive to their changing needs.
A word of caution as you address your customer needs: reaching out to offer help MUST come from a place of authenticity, not trying to sell or take advantage of their situation. Consumers are better than ever at seeing through deceptive companies.
Ask for help
Need a hand with your customer service? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of solution experts. We’ve been “Wowing” customers for over 55 years – chances are we’ve helped a business just like yours. Get in touch with us by emailing sales@telelink.ca for a chance to connect and explore how we can help improve your customer service.