There’s a certain quality of customer service that customers expect to receive from your business – and aiming to meet and exceed that level should be the goal for any successful company.
With consumers having an ever-growing choice of companies to purchase from, good customer service can be the key ingredient for helping businesses stay ahead of the competition. In fact, 76% of consumers consider customer service a true test of how much a company values them.
So, what do customers actually want from customer service?
We’ve broken down 8 key elements of exceptional customer service, along with tips on adapting your operations to satisfy customers and improve your brand advocacy.
1. A personalised experience
Customer service isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.
Every call, email, message and consumer interaction will be unique, and the customer will expect their enquiry to be addressed in a personalised way.
If you use scripted or generic responses, this can make customers feel undervalued. In addition, more complex support cases may be left unresolved when the scripted service isn’t able to assist with their specific issue.
On the other hand, personalisation demonstrates that a company values their customers and cares about every caller’s individual needs. Your customer service strategy shouldn’t heavily rely on scripts and should instead focus on the unique requirements of the customer.
According to research by Accenture, 67% of customers expect companies to understand and address their changing needs, and you can’t do that without personalisation.
Create a customised experience by using your customers’ preferences, purchase history and demographic information to inform how you interact with them. Giving them exceptional service increases the likelihood of them purchasing again – and when they do, they may spend more.
As an outsourced contact centre, we always ensure we deliver a personalised service for every business we represent.
2. Human-to-human connection
We all know the frustrations of contacting a company and having to jump through hoops before being connected to an actual human.
To save time, companies often adopt Interactive Voice Response systems and AI solutions to correctly organise incoming calls, connect customers to the right department and solve simple issues quickly.
However, these can be challenging for customers if the process is too lengthy or tedious. And it could be costing you repeat business – 83% of customers expect immediate interaction with a human agent when they need to get in touch with a company, according to Sigma Connected.
Plus, customers are still wary of AI use. A recent study found that 82% of customers prefer human support even if wait times and time spent are the same, suggesting that current AI applications often fail to meet customer expectations for empathy, nuance and connection.
So, even though AI and automations can be an effective way to streamline your operations, it’s always important to keep that human touch to ensure your customers have a genuine connection with your business.
If you don’t have the resources, outsourcing your customer service can be an excellent way to make sure your customers are still being connected to a human.
3. Quick response time
No one wants to wait when they’ve got a question or problem – especially if the request is urgent!
Whether reaching out via phone, email, chat or social media, customers expect a quick response to their enquiries. According to research by CM, consumers want a response in as little as 9 minutes if they’re on the phone, while they’re willing to wait up to 2.5 hours for a response by email.
But it can be tricky to meet those expectations, especially at peak times when you may have more customers contacting you but the same amount of resource.
Even if you’re experiencing a spike in call volume due to seasonal variations, it’s still vital to promptly address every customer to ensure your service standard remains high.
Utilising outsourced overflow customer support services, as offered by us here at OpenContact, can be the ideal way to ensure your response time is suitable and every customer is spoken to – especially during busy peak seasons.
4. Accessibility and availability
Consumers expect to be able to easily reach companies in ways that are most convenient for them.
Plus, not everyone is able to make a phone call within the 9-to-5 hours. In fact, CM research found that more than 60% of consumers expect 24/7 availability.
So, limited options, restricted opening hours or difficult-to-find contact details can be significant sources of frustration.
A proactive company will have a customer service number that is operational even outside of standard business hours. There should also be multiple contact options available, such as phone, email, live chat and social media.
At OpenContact, we provide omni/multi-channel support to help businesses operate across multiple platforms and ensure they meet their customers’ needs. We also offer out of hours support to give more call availability for customers and make sure no call is missed.
5. Consistency across channels
No one wants to repeat themselves!
Customers often become frustrated when they have to repeat themselves after being endlessly transferred to different departments. Sigma Connected found that 82% of customers expect complex problems to be solved by talking to a single person, so if you can’t do that, consistency is key.
If a customer explains their issue to a live chat and then is transferred to a phone call, they will expect the representative to already be aware of the ongoing query. Asking them to explain themselves again is likely to cause more annoyance and may stop them from using your company again.
Consider using an integrated customer relationship management (CRM) system where your support staff can easily store, access and share customer enquiries or details in order to streamline incoming calls and get better outcomes.
Here at OpenContact, we already have all the necessary equipment and infrastructure to provide a seamless customer service experience. Like a chameleon, we adapt to your systems, ensuring that customers get the same experience whether they speak to an in-house or outsourced representative.
6. Issues heard and solutions found
Customers aren’t calling for a catch up; they need assistance and quick-fix solutions.
This may seem obvious, but consumers hope to come to a suitable resolution after finishing their contact with a customer support rep!
Providing customers with links to informative guides or webpages as a solution can be largely unhelpful. They expect their issues to be heard, understood and appropriately followed up by a helpful member of staff, rather than dealing with the issue themselves.
Instead, companies should strive towards assisting their calling customers with only relevant information, in addition to providing a solution to their problem. Not all issues can be solved in one call, so it’s important to reassure the customer, confirming that you understand their issue and an investigation is in motion.
7. Knowledgeable and helpful representatives
Customers want to speak to helpful members of your team who are knowledgeable about the company’s products and services and answer their queries as fast as possible.
Training representatives on how to handle calls in a helpful manner, while also coaching them on all the specific details of your operations, is essential to good customer service which leaves consumers satisfied.
If you don’t have the resources to train your staff, using an outsourced customer support team is an excellent way to gain access to an already well-trained team that can learn the workings of your business and hit the ground running.
8. Friendly service
It doesn’t cost anything to be kind!
A simple smile and a friendly voice can go a long way across all aspects of life, but it’s especially important for a customer-facing business.
When a customer is connected to a member of your team, a pleasant greeting sets the right tone for the conversation and can simmer down even the most frustrated customers.
A conversation with a customer can be the make-or-break for whether they leave your business or come back for more as a loyal customer – meaning it’s always best to approach them with empathy.
At OpenContact – as a friendly, flexible and professional inbound call centre – we always deliver our customer support services with a smile.
Exceed customer expectations with outsourced customer support services
Customers expect quality customer service – and we can help you exceed their expectations with our outsourced customer contact management services.
OpenContact provides a wide range of services for businesses in a variety of sectors which can be tailored to your needs, such as total customer contact management, inbound call handling and more.
If you’d benefit from expert support with your inbound customer service, get in touch today to find out more.
