When your customers want to talk, you should make it as easy as possible for them. Yes, common sense prevails. However, in a busy environment, where there are lots of incoming calls, and not enough agents to answer them all, you still need to make the experience a good one.
Not only do some customers just prefer to talk, it’s also true that some customer don’t want to use a multichannel experience such as WebChat, Social Media, or eMail. All they want is to pick up the phone and talk to you, but they are also expecting you to deliver the best service possible on the phones at all times.
Offering a number of services on the phone can sometimes be the best solution. For this reason, the key is to optimise each service and find ways to make them work better.
For example, if a customer makes an initial call and there’s no one available, what do you want them to hear? What do you want them to do?
Maybe an IVR (Call Menu), offering different options when you press a number, might be a great idea. Not only does this “eat up” some time, allowing your agents to become available and take the call, but it also directs the customer to the right person, with the right skill to answer the query.
Allowing your customer to leave a message may also be a good option. Maybe they just need to leave some information, or order a product, and don’t necessarily need to talk to anyone.
By offering a timely service and giving the customer the choice, ensures the customer is given a rapid and personalised response that fits their needs.
It’s important to remember that not all customers are comfortable with all channels.
That’s why it’s essential to give them choices. For example, one customer might only prefer social media, while another may consider messaging the best way to receive personalised service. Some just prefer the telephone, and always will.
In addition, mobile customers may only prefer channels that are easy to use “on the go”. While channel optimisation is crucial to making customers feel at ease on their preferred channels, their mobile counterparts must also be given the same attention.
Customers nowadays, also like to connect their digital shopping experiences with their in-store ones.
For example, one customer may like to order a product and pick it up in-store, whereas another might visit a store to learn more about products only available online.
In our modern world, customers have many choices and may feel overwhelmed.
We must therefore make the telephone an easy and enjoyable method of communication. If the incoming call is from a mobile, why not follow up with a text message to confirm things. Not only is it simple, but it stops another inbound or outbound call needing to be taken by your agents. Sometimes, if it needs to be a little more formal, maybe send an automatic email confirmation. Again, it may stop further, unnecessary, telephone call follow ups. This will save you, and your customers, time and effort.
By offering optimised telephone and omnichannel experience at all times, your brand can help customers have a truly enjoyable experience when contacting you. That will result in customer loyalty and potentially a “customer for life”.
