What Is Customer Service?
Customer service is the provision of assistance or support to customers before, during, and after a purchase or interaction with a company. It encompasses a wide range of activities aimed at ensuring customer satisfaction, resolving issues, and enhancing the overall customer experience. Essentially, customer service involves helping customers achieve their goals with the product or service they have purchased.
The Seven Pillars Of Great Customer Service
With customer loyalty at stake, mastering the art of great customer service is crucial. Here are seven best practices to excel in customer service:
Integrate customer service with the organization
Ensure consistency across departments by connecting customer service to your CRM. This provides agents with a complete view of customer interactions, enabling seamless support.
Provide Multi-Channel Support
Deliver quality support across all channels, including phone, mobile, social media, email, self-service, chatbots, and video. Integrate these with your CRM for efficiency.
Balance Quality And Speed
Use omnichannel routing and automation to help agents manage their workload efficiently, balancing speed and quality in customer interactions.
Train Agents On Soft And Hard Skills
Continuously develop agents’ interpersonal, product, and technical skills to enhance their ability to provide personalized and efficient service.
Foster Team Collaboration
Encourage teamwork and communication, especially in remote settings. Use case swarming to solve complex issues and enhance skill development.
Leverage Customer Service As A Revenue Driver
Use AI to identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities. Incorporate customer feedback into broader business strategies.
Evolve Success Metrics
Beyond handling time, track metrics like customer satisfaction, revenue, retention, customer effort, and SLA performance to get a comprehensive view of success.
Types Of Customer Service
Customer service can be delivered through various channels to accommodate diverse customer preferences:
Phone
Many organizations rely on phone interactions for customer service, with over 50% of customers using this channel to contact support.
Text messages
A survey found that 71% of consumers expect brands to offer messaging support, yet only 48% of businesses do.
Customers prefer messaging for convenience, and companies like GrubHub use SMS to gather feedback.
Email remains a key channel for customer service, with 57% of customers preferring it over voice support. Zappos exemplifies excellent service through personalized email interactions.
Self-service
Companies are increasingly turning to self-service software, such as Sprinklr, a LivePerson alternative, allowing them to resolve issues on their own, which helps reduce frustration and wait times.
Messaging
Messaging apps have become popular for customer service, with businesses using platforms like Facebook Messenger to provide quick, convenient support.
Social Media
Social media is an emerging customer service channel where brands can offer fast, engaging responses. Yelp Eat24, for example, uses Twitter for both support and humor.
Live Chat
Live chat offers immediate support, reducing wait times. It can be human-operated or bot-driven, as seen with CenturyLink’s use of Conversica’s Angie for customer interactions.
Learn more about the live chat ideal practices.
In-person
In-person service, though traditional, remains impactful, especially in retail and food industries, where face-to-face interactions create lasting impressions.
Good Customer Service Examples
Personalize Customer Interactions
Jim, a regular at his local diner, is greeted warmly by name each week. His waiter also remembers his usual order and engages in small talk about their shared love for basketball. This personalized attention makes Jim feel valued, leading him to plan a return visit with friends.
Prioritize Employee Wellness
A retail clothing company noticed employees were stressed during a major holiday. In response, they adjusted schedules to allow creative breaks and introduced incentives for handling the extra workload. Supporting employee well-being ensures they can engage positively with customers.
Turn Customer Complaints Into Opportunities
When Sarah’s child broke a toy due to unclear instructions, Laura, a shop employee, responded empathetically, provided a suitable replacement, and reported the issue to management. As a result, the packaging was improved, and Sarah became a loyal customer. Addressing complaints effectively can build stronger relationships.
Surprise And Delight Customers
A coffee shop launched branded t-shirts and had employees give away a few to loyal customers. One customer, a college student with a large social media following, shared his excitement online, boosting the shop’s visibility. Small, unexpected gestures can create lasting loyalty.
Minimize Perceived Risk For Customers
A boutique clothing shop reduced customer hesitation by offering a style quiz and lenient return policy. This approach reassured customers about trying new styles, making them more likely to shop with confidence.
Follow Up With Customers
A wellness spa strengthens customer relationships with personalized thank you cards and birthday discounts.
They also offer a loyalty program, keeping customers engaged even after their visit.
Create A Comfortable Environment
A bookstore enhanced its atmosphere by adding a café, comfy seating, and a kids’ corner. These changes encouraged longer visits and made the store a community hub.
Offer Convenient Customer Support
An auto body shop improved response times by adding omnichannel support, including live chat and email, with staff available from various time zones. Quick, accessible support builds customer trust.
Provide Easy Access To Self-Service
A hardware company added a comprehensive online knowledge base to its website, including videos and FAQs. This self-service option allowed customers to solve problems independently, fostering brand loyalty.
Solicit Customer Feedback
A small restaurant chain used customer surveys to refine its menu, discovering a surprising preference for sweet side dishes. Feedback helps businesses adapt to customer preferences.
Conclusion
Customer service is the foundation of any thriving business, crucial for achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty. By mastering the seven pillars of exceptional service, businesses can cultivate strong customer relationships, transforming each interaction into a growth opportunity. Whether through personalized experiences, efficient problem-solving, or utilizing various service channels, the objective is consistent: to meet and surpass customer expectations, building enduring trust and engagement.