Improve Customer Service With The Power Of Technology

customer service

Technology is having a huge impact on all areas of customer service, and it’s no different when it comes to customer service. It’s the one area where you would think all businesses understand, as all companies live or die from their client’s happiness – and without great customer service, entering any market is virtually impossible.

And the sad fact is that many companies fail to invest their time and energy into improving customer service. And when there is so much affordable technology around that makes everything easier, it’s difficult to understand.

With this in mind, we thought we would spend some time on revealing some of the ways you can use modern tech to increase your service standards and acquire and retain more customers.

Use Every Communication Channel

In times gone by, customers and businesses would need the good old telephone to communicate with each other. These days, however, things are a little different. The average consumer is used to using a variety of communication channels, from VoIP and smartphone to SMS and social media. And everyone has their preferred option, meaning you will be missing out on business opportunities if you fail to cater to their needs. Take a retail business as an example. While you might give first-class customer service in-store, can you say the same about your website? The introduction of a Live Chat feature will enable more people to get in touch for advice and queries.

Ultimate Availability

The Internet is always on, meaning customers can access your business at any time of day. It’s important, too, as many people work outside of the typical working day in these modern times, whether it’s night shifts or evening work. And unless you want to lose out to the competition, you have to be thinking of providing a service for these people – particularly in certain industries. Let’s say you are an IT company that provides hosting to your customers. If someone’s site goes down at 6 pm, they won’t want to wait until 9 am the next day to get things sorted. 24/7 availability is slowly becoming the standard for some sectors, so ensure you don’t’ get left behind.

Automation And Self-Service

Some customers want to get to your website, make a booking or buy a product, and leave again as fast as possible. It applies to just about every industry going, too. It’s vital that you have a system in place that allows for this growing trend. Let’s assume you are in the hospitality industry. As Eviivo point out, it’s vital that you have a system in place that allows potential customers to browse, make bookings, choose rooms, and any other action they wish – and when they want to. Consumers are becoming more self-reliant, and if you make it easy for them to access info on their terms, much of your workload will be removed.

Social Media

As a final point, a lot of companies are scared stiff of social media, because everything is out there in the open. However, it’s an excellent opportunity to show off excellent customer service standards. If someone makes a complaint, people will be looking at you to respond appropriately and professionally. Do so, and you will turn something negative into a positive.

I Write Things.