Getting Customer Service Back on Track and Why it Matters

Newsflash: Only 1% of customers feel that their expectations of good customer service are always met. That factoid presents a gapping problem in the customer service industry and it’s about time we do something about it. If you’re experiencing higher than normal call volume, unbearable wait times, frustrated customers and depleting agent morale it’s time to get your customer service back on track.

Why you might ask? Other than keeping customers happy, customer service is the backbone of customer loyalty and revenue. By ignoring service and satisfaction you are ignoring up to 55% of consumers who have intended to make a purchase, but backed out because of poor customer service. In fact, 52% of consumers have made more purchases from a company after having a good customer service experience and 73% of consumers say friendly customer service reps can make them fall in love with a brand.

So, how can you get your customer service back on track and revenue back to your business? Here are 3 tips you need to follow:

1. Take Out Your Measuring Tape:

There’s no way for customer service to get on track if there are no metrics in place to guide expectations. Managers should first analyze their existing data and designate benchmarks to determine the road to success. Put KPIs in place and always follow up and review these metrics.

Here’s a great whitepaper with some important dos and don’t: Call Center Metrics: 4 Pitfalls You Need to Avoid

2. Stay Hip to the Trends:

We know that trends come and go, but it’s not a bad idea to stay informed about the next big thing in customer service. At one time, cloud was a touchy subject, and now it’s commonplace. Don’t be the last to know what the buzz is, that’s a surefire way to muddle operations because you’re simply rushed to get things done. By staying ahead of the game, you’ll never feel like you’ve fallen behind, and your team will feel adequately supported.

If you haven’t yet, take a look at this trends guidebook to get you all caught up: 8 Mega Customer Service Trends for 2016

3. Deploy the Proper Tools:

Once you’ve set metrics and researched ways that can give your customer service a boost, you may require some technical help in reaching those goals. For instance, a call-back solution can help to reduce spikes in call volume, improve the customer experience, and substantially raise agent morale. Here are 5 other customer service tools that can help you manage agent workflow and get your contact center operating smoothly.

For more proof about how technology can impact your customer service levels take a look at this Fonolo case study: How a Major Cable Operator Eliminated Over 400,000 Minutes of Hold-Time