I think we can all agree that customer service is important. The better your customer service, the more repeat customers you'll have -- and a repeat customer is one of, if not the most, important assets you can have. Repeat customers easily turn into brand evangelists, which refer new clients and vouch for you in a time when word of mouth and reviews are king.
Most companies lump customer service into operations or list it as its own entity. Customer service's impact is so critical to a company's success that it should be considered an extension of marketing and managed so that it represents the voice and brand of the company it represents. This isn't a new way of thinking, and most professionals know this. But why then is customer service still so difficult for companies to wrap their arms around?
I hate to jump on the "during these hard economic times" bandwagon, but during these hard economic times, there is a lot of pressure to spend time and energy on activities that will produce immediate results. Is it this pressure that causes companies to push customer service to the back burner? We've all felt the frustration of dealing with horrible customer service. Our expectations now are so low that even getting a live person to answer a question without spending an hour of our day is, well... good?
The following recommendations are simple, but can make a difference to improve your customer service. Sadly, most of these came to mind based on real world experiences, but on a more positive note, they are all easily remedied.
1. Make it easy for someone to contact you
You may not be in business to create life-long customers. If that's the case, then I assume you're in business to burn and churn customers. You probably don't care a lick about stats on how your company creates repeat business, and you really only focus on paid search conversion rates. If that doesn't apply to you, then you are in business to keep and retain customers... so make sure you put your phone number, email, chat information, or other contact information in a place where it's easy to find. If you think you're being sly by burying it on your site to keep your customer service costs down, you're not. The only thing you're doing is frustrating visitors who either have a question or find your lack of contact information as a sign that you will be difficult to work with.
2. Bring customer service in-house
As long as you consider customer service a "cost center," you're thinking is ass backwards. Customer service is part of marketing! You have to have proper control over the messages that are being put out into the market, as well as how your company solves problems. Your image is more than your website, more than your logo, and more than your product. The single biggest thing people will remember from an experience is how they were treated. Can you imagine what it would be like to talk to an airline representative who really cared when your flight is cancelled and you're stranded? How many times have you been on the phone with a customer service representative and thought, "I am going to hang up on this representative and call back. Maybe I'll get someone who can actually help." Bringing customer service in-house enables you to have greater control over messaging, as well as have your customer service department more infused into the culture of the company.
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