There is no denying how important good customer service is to a business. Unless you own a monopoly, you will be looking to your customers to continue using your services to keep you afloat. If you are interested in improving your customer service for 2014, then below are a few trending operations you should keep in mind.
1. An Always Open Model
Having customer service from 9-5 is an old model, quickly becoming outdated. Instead, many companies are now hiring additional people to provide 24/7 support for everything your customers require. This is especially true when it comes to working with a global audience. It might be 2am your time, but for some of the world that is the best time to call.
2. The Importance of Crowdsourcing
Your company speaks for yourself. Your customers speak louder, and are better able to relate what you are doing. As a result, by providing an online community where people can share their questions and speak their minds, you create a healthy place for your customers to be heard. This is especially important when it comes to having a new deal.
3. Allowing the Customer to Help Themselves
Otherwise known as self-service, many companies are increasing their customer service by allowing the customers to help themselves to what they need. What this means depends entirely on the model you are using, but when done correctly, it can dramatically decrease the inquiries you receive.
4. Being Proactive verses Reactive
For many companies, the only customer service experience they have with their customers is when something goes wrong. As a result, a growing number of companies are focusing on proactive strategies when it comes to their customers. Over the last year, this has meant a 29% increase.
5. The Benefits of Going Social
Word of mouth is the best way to spread your business and help your own customer service. Like crowdsourcing where you create a space for your customers, going social means making use of social sites like Facebook and Twitter to help create mini-communities focused around your business. When considering customer service, this means you have an excellent way for people to communicate to you across numerous platforms. When set up correctly, you can talk to a wide number of people across numerous social media via only a single app, making customer service easy and effective.
Although millions of people visit Brandon's blog each month, his path to success was not easy. Go here to read his incredible story, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors." If you want to send Brandon a quick message, then visit his contact page here.