How Technology Can Boost Your Customer Service Strategy
Customers these days have high expectations and unlimited resources to research companies that can meet their needs. In fact, about 90% of customers would switch to a different company if it could provide better customer experiences.
Does your business offer multiple support channels so that customers can contact you via the platform of their choice? Can you respond quickly to customers when they reach out?
Various surveys have revealed that two-thirds of people will only wait on hold for two minutes or less. Do you have streamlined methods of responding to simple vs. more complex customer inquiries?
If your answer to any of the above questions is, “no,” read on to find out how customer service technologies can help enhance your operations and grow your business in any industry.
Enhance Customer Service with a Decision-Tree Tool
Effective customer service is the cornerstone of a successful business. Investing in customer centricity can yield an impressive 700% ROI over a period 12 years. Just imagine the advantage this can offer your business over the competition.
One way to prioritize customers and ensure your agents are equipped to handle inquiries efficiently is through decision-tree tools. These tools can help customer support agents quickly identify a customer’s issue and provide an ideal solution based on their specific needs.
Radius Navigator, for example, helps guide agents in real time by offering the best responses for each step of the conversation. This tool provides a consistent customer experience and ensures that your support team feels confident in every interaction.
Radius Navigator can also significantly reduce employees’ onboarding time. With our proprietary application installed on their computers, new hires can quickly become proficient in handling complex customer queries.
Leverage AI Technologies to Improve Customer Support
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world of customer support and making it more efficient than ever. More and more businesses are adopting AI technologies by the day – and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. 53% of those polled for a recent Deloitte survey reported spending more than $20 million during the past year on AI tech and talent.
AI chatbots, for example, save time for both customers and employees by handling routine inquiries and providing instant responses. This is a significant advantage considering that as many as 90% of customers expect an immediate response to their support questions.
Our proprietary chatbot, Radius Interactive Virtual Assistance (RIVA) is a prime example of how AI can be leveraged to enhance customer support. RIVA allows your business to handle a high volume of inquiries without bogging down your live service agents. Learn more by watching the video below:
By incorporating AI technologies like RIVA into your customer support strategy, your organization can:
- Improve response times
- Reduce operational costs
- Enhance overall customer satisfaction
- Decrease strain on customer service agents
- Deliver multilingual support
- Offer 24/7 service for common questions
- Gather and analyze customer data
However, it’s important to note that AI should not be seen as a replacement for your live agents. Customers still want the option to speak to a person for questions or issues that AI isn’t equipped to handle.
Offer Multiple Customer Service Channels
Does your business offer multi-channel customer support? If not, attracting and retaining customers will be challenging. With so many service channels available, customers expect to be able to reach out to your business via:
- Self-service portals
- Live chat
- Chatbots
- Phone
- SMS
- Social media
- Mobile app
Offering at least three of the above channels caters to a variety of customer preferences. As a result, customers can enjoy a personalized and convenient customer experience. Customers who find it easy to interact with your brand and receive accurate support are less likely to look for alternatives.
It’s also recommended to create a designated FAQ page so that customers can easily find the answers they need without having to reach out. Adopting this multi-channel strategy will help position your organization as a flexible, customer-centric organization.
Use Survey Tools to Inform Customer Support Strategies
An essential element of any customer service strategy is regularly surveying existing customers. Gathering feedback through quarterly, bi-annual, or annual surveys will help your company identify areas of improvement and understand strengths.
Concerned that sending surveys will irritate your customers? According to Microsoft’s 2020 Global State of Customer Service report, 89% of respondents stated that they want companies to ask for their feedback.
When creating your survey, ensure that you’re not asking too many questions. Customers are typically willing to answer 7-10 questions at a time. It may be tempting to ask dozens of questions, but this will likely result in lower response rates.
Questions should be tailored based on your industry, but here are some examples of questions to include in a customer satisfaction survey:
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with our product/service?
- How easy was it to navigate our website/app and find the information you needed?
- How would you rate the quality of customer service you received?
- How satisfied are you with the time it took to address your issue?
- How likely are you to recommend our product/service to others?
- What suggestions do you have for improving our product/service?
- Is there anything else you’d like to share or suggest to help us improve?
Just remember to analyze the data once enough respondents have submitted the survey. This data will be incredibly valuable for optimizing your customer service strategy for your specific audience.
Gain The Right Technologies with Customer Service Experts
Staying at the forefront of customer service technologies is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. With the right technologies in place, your business can improve response times, reduce operational costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.
Are you ready to elevate your customer service operations? Let us help you provide exceptional customer support and drive your business growth. Contact Radius Global Solutions to gain access to cutting-edge technologies and expert guidance tailored to your needs.
