“Customers are always right” — this is a common customer mantra when arguing with a customer service representative (CSR). But are they? Or are they just dissatisfied with how some CSRs manage their concerns?
Since the rise of social media, people have been observed to have an attention span shorter than a goldfish’s. Because they get a taste of quick and instant gratification, they want to get everything in just a snap of a finger—especially when it comes to a product or service that they have paid for.
However, when inevitable situations arise and customers do not receive their well-deserved product or service, how can a CSR effectively provide support?
HOW TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
1. RESPOND QUICKLY
The amount of time a CSR takes to respond to queries is considered the most important attribute of the customer experience. A fast reply makes customers feel important, while a slow reply makes them feel neglected.
Based on the customer service response times of 1,000 companies, the fastest response time is 1 minute, the average is 12 hours and 10 minutes, and the slowest is 8 days. Although all companies should aspire to respond to their customers within 1 minute, 12% of 3,200 consumers said that they expect to get a reply at least within 15 minutes, while 46% can wait up to 4 hours.
When this time range is not met, consequences are bound to happen. Some possible scenarios that a CSR can experience include getting flooded with messages, getting called out on social media, or worse, losing customers.
2. BE CONSISTENT
Customers also value consistency. Reach out to them for updates and always keep them informed about the progress of their ticket.
When customers do not receive any updates, they assume that no one is working on their concern, which oftentimes leads to repetitive sending of complaints.
3. ACT ON CUSTOMER CONCERNS
When a CSR answers customers’ questions or makes an effort to resolve their problems, it shows that the customers’ opinion before, during, and after their purchase matters to the company.
In some cases, when there is nothing that the CSR can help the customers with, transferring them to someone who can help or giving some suggestions will be highly appreciated.
4. BE PATIENT
One common CSR challenge is dealing with angry customers, and there is no better way to deal with them except with patience and with the power of Disney’s HEARD technique. Heard stands for:
Hear: Listen to the customer without interruption.
Empathize: Understand the customer’s point of view.
Apologize: Apologize for the inconvenience they have experienced, regardless of who is at fault.
Resolve: Settle the issue quickly or ask what you can do to help.
Diagnose: Do not put the blame on anyone. Understand why the issue occurred to prevent it from happening again.
5. MAINTAIN CUSTOMER SELF-SERVICE OPTIONS
For customers who want to find the answers to their own questions, provide an up-to-date FAQ page or article. This will help them learn on their own and save some time for the CSR.
6. PROVIDE OMNI-CHANNEL SUPPORT
One communication channel might get too busy to accommodate all customers. To prevent this, provide other customer support through email, phone, live chat, or social media. This also gives customers several options to interact with you. Aside from that, it is a great way to expand customer engagement on different channels.
7. GO THE EXTRA MILE
Deliver excellent customer service that exceeds the customer’s expectations. Do everything you can to resolve their problems and go beyond the handbook-based solutions, provided you are not breaking any rules. Undeniable effort creates a favorable impression and increases customer loyalty.
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT MEETING
CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS
1. REPUTATION DAMAGE
There is an old cliché that says, “Bad publicity is still publicity.” Well, not anymore.
Although it is true that people have a negativity bias, which means they have a tendency to be drawn to bad news rather than good news, bad publicity can damage a business’ reputation.
Word-of-mouth is a double-edged sword; it will either make or break a business. 13% of unsatisfied customers share their bad experience with more than 20 people, and 30% share it on social media. In this digital age, one negative post can create a domino effect, especially because people tend to like, share, and comment without fact-checking.
2. UNCONVERTED LEADS
79% of leads do not convert into sales due to a long response time and no follow-up messages or calls.
Reaching out to your leads in the same hour that you generate them will increase your chances of converting them into customers. The CSR’s tone is also important. 70% of customers decide on their purchase based on their perception of how well they are treated by the company. For them, the customer service experience they've had before they make a purchase will reflect the same attitude they will receive once they become customers.
When customers inquire, reply to them immediately. 78% of leads buy from the first CSR who will accommodate them. And when they are happy with the service, 90% of customers will purchase more, and 93% will likely be loyal customers.
3. LOSS OF CUSTOMERS
One reason customers turn their backs on the company is because they feel taken advantage of. Companies treat them as nameless and faceless sources of profit, and not as individuals who have unique needs.
91% of customers leave when they no longer feel valued, and 80% switch to a business competitor.
4. PROFIT LOSS
Profit is what keeps the business going, and customer satisfaction is the key to achieving it. In fact, 83% of companies that prioritize their customers’ happiness generate higher revenue.
When there is a 5% reduction in customer defection, there is a significant increase in profit. However, when customer defection continues—such as through continued cancellation of orders and termination or nonrenewal of contracts—the company’s profit will also plummet.
5. LOSS OF EMPLOYEES
When the company does not generate profit, it will be challenging to remunerate staff, let alone keep them all. Most of the time, when this situation happens, they lay off employees, reduce their salary, or depend on loans. And if the company cannot produce more than it spends, it will eventually lead to loss of business.
Companies in the United States lose about $62 billion every year because of dissatisfied customers. Because of this, collecting customer feedback, both positive and negative, can greatly improve customer service.
HOW TO INCREASE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH THE REMOTE GROUP
The Remote Group‘s customer service specialists are trained to handle customer concerns and address issues. They effectively resolve problems whether via call, email, or live chat.
Strengthen your customer support and provide an overall positive customer experience with your own remote customer service team. Get in touch with our outsourcing experts today.
