The customer is the most important part of a business. Without customers, companies would not exist. Companies that focus on profits and neglect customer service find it hard to develop customer loyalty.
Customer service is the support companies offer their customers. Unfortunately, many companies focus their service on potential customers, neglecting the existing ones. Robust customer service focuses on both.
Customer service has come a long way. Customers used to queue on the phone or in customer care booths to get answers. Today, there is a wide range of communication channels: social media, email, text messages, and web-based questions and answers (Q&As) for seamless product support.
Gone are the days when customers would choose to buy a product or service based solely on the price. Today, the overall shopping experience influences the consumer decision-making process. Businesses with a streamlined shopping experience tend to attract and retain more customers.
Many years ago, a service business could get away with sub-par customer service because of limited communication channels. That has changed. Online discussion forums and social media platforms have forced companies to go the extra mile.
Today’s customers expect premium service, both before and after the sale. Therefore, companies that prioritize customer support and take the necessary steps to enforce it will likely outperform those that treat it as an afterthought. Eighty-nine percent of companies now see an excellent customer experience as a key competitive advantage.
Additionally, customer dynamics have changed significantly over the years. There are numerous options and factors to consider before making a purchase. As a result, customers want to deal with companies keen on creating an enjoyable customer experience.
Customer expectations have risen over the years. Research shows that 68 percent of former customers left the business because of poor treatment. Customers now want to know whether the service vendor provides the necessary product support during the purchase and after. While a customer support strategy like after-sales service does not necessarily generate profits for the business, it does buy the goodwill of the customer. It can even bring back lost customers.
In the last decade, more companies have been paying attention to customer service, as evidenced by the emergence of customer relations management (CRM) software, which helps companies manage customer relations. Companies use CRM to collect customer data and centralize all customer information with the end goal of creating better service. Without a robust CRM strategy, customer information is scattered, making it hard to cover all customer touchpoints. The result is an extended, sub-par sales cycle.
Data on customer’s preferences, purchase history, and interests allow a business to customize their offerings, marketing, and customer service to cater to their target customer’s unique needs. If a customer believes that a business has made an effort to understand them and make their journey painless, they are likely to stick with the brand.
Today’s customers expect more, and often base their purchase decisions on the customer experience. Consequently, companies continue to seek new ways to improve customer relations, as evidenced by the existence of hundreds of CRM programs with a broad range of applications for companies keen on enhancing the customer experience. Customer service is now closely tied to the bottom line, meaning today’s companies are highly motivated to prioritize customer satisfaction.
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