In 2018, your customers are going to expect a lot more from you. Consider this: We now live in a world where people can order items online without even having to lift a finger. New technology, like Amazon’s Alexa, can provide users with an abundance of services simply by following voice commands.
What we’re basically saying here is that it is incumbent upon your business to find ways to make things easy for its customers. And, by easy we mean really easy! Sure, you may not yet be willing to unveil a voice activated mechanism that will help your customers order products online. However, you can still work to make your customer service practices unbeatable.
Here are three ways to do that:
1. Be empathetic.
Seriously…this shouldn’t have to be listed as a tip. But, far too many customer service representatives are lacking in this very important trait. Showing empathy demonstrates the human side of your brand. And considering that you have humans working for you, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get them to relate to the humans who contact your business for help.
Being empathetic is a more than simply spouting “I’m sorry to hear that”. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. “I completely understand your frustration, I’d be upset about it myself” is a better example of the way to go. Especially when a customer has experienced a difficult personal trauma – completely unrelated to your business – it’s important to express a genuine sense of concern. It will go a long way in building your company’s reputation.
2. Offer time guarantees.
As we alluded to earlier, we live in the era of the quick, the easy and the now. The more prompt you are with your ability to deliver to your customers, the better. Offer time guarantees that you know you can adhere to. For example, when customers call businesses and hear voice greetings that promise to return calls “within 24 hours”, what do you think is the expectation?
Moreover, what do you think is the feeling had by callers when their calls are not returned within those 24 hours? In 2018, immediate customer service should be the norm. Right next to “immediate” should be “as soon as possible”. And while that may already be a part of your customer service regimen, it’s wise to come up with additional ways for your customers to receive service from you. See MeloTel’s Live Chat feature on our website as an example.
3. Get a blog going.
Blogs are often used as sources of 24/7 customer service. They’re able to answer questions outside of business hours when your staff members have all gone home. Well-written blogs are very valuable sources of information. We humbly encourage you to check out the MeloTel blog for numerous examples.
We make it a point to inform our readers about the many facets of our industry and the necessities to be successful within it. Of course, many of our blogs highlight the various services that we offer. And by describing their benefits to business owners, our blogs help to enlighten individuals who may have been curious about them.
Allow us to help you make your customer services practices unbeatable in 2018! Contact MeloTel and ask us about our Bloggers & Creative Writers For Hire today! Give us a call at 1-888-MELOTEL or use the Live Chat feature on our website!
