There are few things as frustrating for customers as trying to access a business that makes it as hard as possible. Their phone calls and emails might go unanswered. They might even struggle to get the support they need in-store. Consequently, when customers have such a poor experience, they may decide to take their business someplace more accessible, potentially impacting your bottom line.
Providing exceptional customer service can be crucial for your reputation. As a result, you might see the value in heeding the advice below.
1. Utilize a high-quality answering service.
When you don’t have the resources to answer every phone call, consider an answering service through a company such as CMS. When you can rely on someone to answer your business calls and provide excellent customer service, you can spend more time focusing on other business-related tasks.
Call center businesses can often also provide other helpful services. These include appointment scheduling, telephone surveys, and virtual receptionist services. As a result, these may all be well-received by your busy team and valued customers.
2. Provide live chat.
Not everyone can or wants to talk to a business representative on the phone. Similarly, they might have patchy phone reception or even accessibility issues. As a result, these can limit their ability to make contact using traditional methods.
Consider providing a live chat option on your website to make sure your customers can reach you in various scenarios. Most web developers and designers can create a form for customers to fill out with their name and contact information. This can initiate a discussion with someone at your company.
3. Be a consistent presence on social media.
Social media has become an effective marketing hub for businesses to reach new and existing customers. If you have very few ways for your customers to contact you, consider signing up for one of the more accessible platforms, such as Facebook and/or Instagram.
While you might initially need assistance with social media marketing, it likely won’t take long to realize that you can interact with customers through private messages and directly in comments.
4. Make contact channel options clear.
Unless you clarify how people can reach you, there’s always a chance you won’t be providing the level of service your customers expect. Consequently, you’ll want to make it known just how easy it can be for people to gain access to your products and services.
For example, you might list your opening hours on your front entrance and Google business profile. You might also provide a phone number, web form, live chat form, and email address on your website.
Many businesses provide links to their social media accounts from their websites. These enable customers to connect with companies in a variety of ways. The more options you provide and the clearer these options are, the happier your customers are likely to be.
5. Be prompt.
The digital age has allowed businesses to respond to customer queries and complaints far quicker. When a message is received by email, on social media, or through live chat, it can be answered that same day.
As many businesses have prioritized fast response times, some customers now expect it. Failure to respond to someone’s request for information quickly may see them dissatisfied enough to take their business elsewhere. Reduce the risk of this happening by setting time aside each day to address queries.
Being accessible to your customers doesn’t have to be a significant undertaking. It simply requires better communication, delegation, and a willingness to go the extra mile in the name of customer retention.
Related Post: What is the Impact of Customer Centricity?
