Businesses today are in a dire state mainly because of the pandemic that we are facing. People are struggling with all kinds of crises including mental, health, and financial problems. Ongoing lockdowns have shaken the economies of countries to their core. In times like these, starting a business has become increasingly difficult. Although launching a new business is a humongous task on its own, but the current situation has only added fuel to this fire. Customers have become more aware and consumer trends have changed drastically. People, nowadays, are trying to save each and every penny and are doing extensive research before conducting any kind of business with any company. This means that the importance of brand value has become essential than it was previously in the past, and there’s only one thing that maintains and boosts a brand value i.e. customer service.
A business cannot stay operational without a solid and loyal customer base, because in the end, how good is a business without its customers? A strong customer base is an ultimate tool behind the success of a company because not only does it generate revenue for a firm, but it also creates a positive image of a company with good reviews and word of mouth, which in turn brings more customers towards a brand. So, a good customer base is essential for a business, and this consumer base is kept intact through good customer service. Customer service is the department that is responsible for keeping the customers satisfied and inspiring brand loyalty in them, but what is the actual role and responsibilities of customer service? Let’s have a look.
What is Customer Service?
Customer service is the team designated to assist customers regarding their different problems in any way shape or form. A simple example can be taken of an internet provider like Cox. When a user has any kind of problem regarding their internet speed, cable connection, technical outage, or billing, they reach out to Cox customer service for the resolution of these problems. This is actually the process of customer service. This department dedicatedly works towards the assistance of customers and keeps in touch with them to gather feedback regarding the improvements that can be made in the product or service that is being offered.
Customer service also regularly contacts the customer to inform them about any new promotions or discounts they can get and occasionally offer gifts and vouchers as a part of customer retention plans. The process of customer service begins when a customer contacts the customer service department regarding any assistance and it continues until that required assistance is provided to the customer.
Why Customer Service is Important?
We have determined what customer service is and what are its avenues. It would be a no-brainer to conclude that customer service is a department that is specifically created to serve the customers. This alone is enough to solidify how important customer service can be for the survival of a business since customer service deals directly with the end client and is responsible for a couple of things that include brand value, customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, and customer retention among many. We are going to discuss these facts further to determine the importance of customer service.
Brand Value
Your brand value is directly related to how people perceive your company’s image. Good customer service leads to a happy and satisfied customer that represents a positive image of your company thus increasing the brand value.
Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is directly related to the revenue of your company since happy customers regularly conduct business with the same company and are open to opportunities such as upselling that can help a company grow.
Customer Retention
New customer acquisition is usually 5 to 6 times more expensive than retaining an existing customer since new customers have to be attracted through discounts and monetary means. Surveys suggest that 70% of customers leave a company just because they are not treated well. So, good customer service is a key to client retention.
How to Improve Customer Service
We have already established how important customer service is for a business and the major role that it plays in making a business successful. However, even big brands suffer from a dilemma centering on how they can improve their customer service. Let us assure you that it’s no rocket science and that by following a few simple steps, you can improve the customer service of your company and make it a successful brand among consumers.
Having a Strong Team
Customer service is a team job since there are different departments involved that are working together to solve the problems of the customer. Thus, having a strong customer service team is key to success because you never know what query is going to be handled by whom and even the slightest mistake by any of the representatives can prove to be devastating for a company’s reputation. That’s why always train your customer service team properly and equip them with the necessary tools and skills that allow them to serve the customer in the best way possible.
Making Customer a Priority
The thing where most customer service departments lack is that they treat customers as a daily work-related task instead of an actual person and this is where the problem starts. If you’re not going to understand the concern of the customer, how are you going to resolve it in the first place? So, treat the customer as a priority, listen to them attentively and acknowledge the issue that is been faced by the customer, so you can work towards an effective solution.
Multiple Means of Communication
The more mediums a company has of providing assistance, the more customers are going to reach out. In today’s faced-paced society, customers prefer to just switch to the provider instead of waiting on a phone line to get their simple issues fixed as it is more convenient for them. Don’t give customers the chance to drop your company by providing them various means of assistance like emails, live chats, social media, and text messaging through which they can quickly reach out and get their issues fixed as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Customer service has become a crucial part of today’s business decisions. Since consumer patterns have changed, customers prefer a company with good customer service before conducting transactions and we have already established the importance it holds for a business. So, a company that fails to establish good customer service practices can never thrive in the long run. That is why it is essential to adopt a customer-oriented approach in order to be successful.