Editors Note: This article was updated on September 23, 2020, originally published on April 16, 2019, and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Customer service is a popular topic of discussion among savvy business leaders and managers with good reason. Customer service is your company’s lifeblood. It’s at the center of everything you do, and it’s the key to growing your business.
The online newspaper Huffspot published a list of 50 statistics that show how important customer service is to companies. The statistics provide some eye-opening insights.
The money spent attracting new business comes directly from your company’s profits. Providing good customer service boosts your bottom line and grows your company drastically.
Providing epic customer service is a challenge—a challenge you must conquer to thrive in the future. Below we discuss strategies you can implement to boost business growth driven by customer service. Our article discusses:
Some managers treat new businesses as a threat, which they are not. It’s an opportunity you must exploit to grow your company. Below are six critical challenges you must conquer to take your business to the next level:
Delivering top-flight customer service can help you beat all six of these business challenges. Doing so is among the secrets to growing your business and thriving in the future.
Providing exceptional customer support is the number one task when you own a business. Customers that aren’t satisfied with your service broadcast their dissatisfaction and also bolt to a competitor. That’s especially true for today’s more demanding customers.
Below are six KPI’s you can use to measure customer support:
Keep these KPIs in mind when measuring customer support. Together, they’ll tell you how good your customer service skills are. They’ll help you know what your customers think of your customer service and how long they’ll stick around.
Even if KPI’s say your customer service is excellent, you can always improve it. Hiring a live telephone answering service is a cost-effective way to provide a professional voice answering your call 24/7/365. This tactic delivers superior customer service, builds loyalty, and triggers company growth.
Below are eleven proven customer service tips designed to help you boost business growth:
Customers complain. When you receive complaints from customers, get as many details from them as possible. Let their feedback guide future actions.
When you hear your customer, you are not necessarily listening to them and their problems. Practice active listening to get to know the customers and their needs. Meeting them is paramount to boosting customer service, building your brand’s reputation, and sparking business growth.
Fast response times are crucial in some industries. If it’s vital in yours, train your people to respond promptly, but accurately.
Technology can help companies provide excellent customer service, like with the help of chatbots. No matter how efficient technology is, customers still like dealing with people. Give a personal touch to customers by using live agents.
Use tracking technology and a top CRM to learn about your customers and get to know them personally. Surprise them with customer notes or special product offers. This helps turn customers into brand ambassadors.
Never let business matters subvert customer service. You must find a solution to your customer’s problem. Going the extra mile leaves customers satisfied and delighted by uncommon customer service.
Excellent customer service should pair with strategies to position yourself as an industry authority. Knowledgebase articles, technology tips, service updates, special offers, and product tricks keep customers happy, satisfied, and loyal.
Offering customers a choice is critical. Providing three or more solutions to an issue makes them feel involved. It’s a smart and cost-effective way to boost a buyer’s impression of your customer service.
Savvy companies treat all customers like VIPs. Making customers feel that way builds customer loyalty and boosts word-of-mouth advertising.
Automatic onboarding sequences work, but personalizing onboarding drives excellent customer service, especially with emails and special offers.
Communicating with customers in this century means not just on the phone but on social media, online reviews, and mail. As a business, social media is vital. Social media gives your business direct access to your customers. If you get reviews on business directories or social media, be sure to respond.
Always have in mind that 82% of people search for online reviews of local businesses, according to research from BrightLocal.
And last but not least, always avoid directing your customers to voicemail. The more accessible and human you are, the more brand loyalty you’ll build
Implementing some or all of the tips can help you provide the customer service that meets your customers’ needs. Doing so generates numerous business benefits, including boosting customer satisfaction, enhancing brand value, and increasing word of mouth advertising. To make your business grow, you will need to apply these tips on customer service. After all, customer service is your company’s lifeblood.
Customer experience is essential for your business to grow. Outsourcing your customer service to provide a more professional service will help you improve communication with your customers at a lower cost. You need to ensure that you’re offering an excellent customer service experience to everyone you come into contact with.