Methods to Improve Real-Time Customer Service
Nowadays the clients have more expectations towards customer service. The customers are prone to choose one business over other when it is easy to navigate web presence, or when they found the sites appealing. But isn’t there yet another aspect they would look for? Obviously, the real time customer service. Where a customer can live chat with a company representative.
When it comes to knowing what customers are doing in real time, nothing beats mobile and social as sources of data. Tapping into that data is like being able to follow customers around personally to find out where they are and what they want and make decisions accordingly. The company can make decisions about everything from product inventory to special promotions based on real-time information about what people are thinking and doing in the moment.
Let’s have a look at some steps for improving your online customer service.
- Treat Customers as most valued
Always remember that your customer wants to see the positive side of you and your business. It’s always necessary to instil this attitude among your staff. Train the staff by giving them some examples and make them act out those scenarios which will help them to involve both easy-going and difficult customers. Observe how they handle the situation and coach them on areas to improve.
- Appreciate Employees for their good work
When your employees are happy, they provide better customer service. Studies have proven that employees often perform better at the jobs when they feel appreciated. Give each employee a personalized ‘thank you’ every now and then, and introduce an employee of the month program, if you don’t have one already. If you can help your employees take pride in their jobs, their work performance will also improve.
- To Start Developing Customer Service Communities
The most advanced companies are currently using service communities to generate product ideas and reviews from others. Majority of respondents are using communities to get feedback on how existing products are used. The others use them to collect ideas for new products or features from customers. And few rely on them for feedback on prototypes or beta products.
- Testimonials from Clients
Good feedback reflects the experiences your customers actually have with your company. Furthermore, good testimonials equips your company to take action where there are gaps. To develop a satisfaction survey that probes truthfully into the heart of your gaps and opportunities and helps to take various measures to overcome those.
- Find out What the Customer Really Wants
Figure out what the customer really wants, if you can solve the problem they will pay; the value is often not in the discount you can offer but rather in the solution you can provide.
- Always aware about the Customer’s issues
The world is heavily dependent on the internet, an unsatisfied consumers can hop online and share how they feel about a product or service of your company. It’s a good practice to take the time to go online and observe what people are saying about your business. Find out what people enjoy, as well as what they’d like to see improved. The reviews you stumble across might surprise you and introduce you to areas of improvement that you had not previously considered. Being aware of the issues is the first step towards resolving them.
Every message from a customer presents an opportunity to improve customer satisfaction. Compliments show you what to reinforce, while complaints point to new ideas and action steps for improvement.
- Contact them before they contact you
The key here is to contact your customers before they need to pick up the phone and contact you! To be effective, these contacts should be timely, personalized and relevant to the consumer.
The best proactive strategies make regular contact throughout the customer lifecycle. Wish a customer on his or her birthday or on their national holidays or send payment reminders, holiday notice, personalized loyalty, product status update and reward schemes. This strategy can reduce inbound calls and improved efficiency. This proves that offering great customer service isn’t just good for the consumer, it’s good for the business as well.
- Manage Wait Times
Everyone is ought to be busy, and if your company can’t provide the highest levels of service, your customers won’t hesitate to find someone who can. Customer wait time needs to be eliminated or managed. Be easy to do business with, and your company will be rewarded.
- Demonstrate Product Knowledge
Another important aspects of successful customer service revolves around product knowledge. It is appreciated that who all have direct customer contact should know the company’s product and/or service inside and out. In many cases, developing robust product knowledge involves managers helping agents build their confidence so they’re motivated to succeed.
- Offer Free Support and product training
This is a business-winning decision. Nothing decreases customer satisfaction more than being confused with how to make a product work. When people spend money on something, they tend to doubt themselves and their ability to make the product work right. With detailed, free training, you’ll alleviate that self-doubt and win a life-long customer.
