Customer Service in a Modern Market — Tips for Creative Businesses

Customer loyalty isn’t what it used to be. Nokia had a fantastic customer base but then along came Apple with the iPhone. It has since dominated the smartphone market making profits that even American business magnate Warren Buffet would find extraordinary. What we’re all seeing is a tectonic shift of power from companies to customers brought about through digital disruption.

In this intensely competitive and disruptive environment, the need for outstanding customer service has never been more critical because all it takes to lose a quality lead is to make one wrong comment or gesture in a DM conversation, and off they return to Google, to search for another brand, and yes, they will find someone else…there is only one loser when you commit customer service blunders, that is you!

This is why today customer-centricity isn’t an option but is fundamental to survival. Consumers want a quick and effortless experience, and going the extra mile to meet these expectations will pay off. Consumers will be much more likely to recommend services via word of mouth or write reviews following a positive experience.

Focus on speed and convenience
Answer quick, make your answers immediately relevant and easy to use. When it comes to providing a service that is a cut above the rest, it’s all about speed and the capability of the person answering your chats or emails or calls to possess the right attitudes, skills and relevant information at every given time.

Some customers like to get help via live chat, others would rather send an email, and still, others want to talk to a live person on the phone. By providing multiple touchpoints for accessing customer service, you can allow customers to personalize their experience using the method(s) they prefer.

Personalize it
You may want to learn the names of your loyal and frequent customers so you and your employees can greet them by name. You can also use your customers’ names in communications with them, whether that’s direct mail or email newsletters.

No BS Please, Get your facts right
Make sure at every instance of customer contact you get, you bring facts into the conversation. Google has made it incredibly easy for the average customer today to know more than 3 times what they knew 10 years ago. You are no longer the ‘Almighty Expert’ in the room.

Be Human
Have you ever talked to a customer service rep who you could tell was just reciting rote answers off a script? It can make you feel like they aren’t really listening to you.

Compare that with the feeling you get when you know that the customer service person is chatting with you while they’re working on your issue. Something as simple as asking a customer how the weather is where they are or if they have fun plans for the weekend can help humanize the experience.