How, you ask. For any business, irrespective of the industry it operates in, happy customers are the source of referral business. They share the gospel about the business to their friends and family. That zero-dollar word-of-mouth-marketing acts as a silent lead generation engine for your business.
In fact, studies by major think-tanks like PwC have concluded that customers are willing to pay more for better customer experience. Simply put, better customer experience translates into more revenue for your business—be it through lead generation or through repeat purchases by existing customers.
But, how does one render a superior customer experience when working with customers virtually?
There are ways to do it right. Some of them are:
- Real-time support
- Chatbot interactions
- Omni-channel support
- Customer ratings & reviews
Let’s take a look at each of these points in detail.
01. Real-time support
Google, in their ‘Think with Google‘ article, explains the concept of micro-moments and why it is important in crafting customer journeys. A micro-moment is defined as an intent-rich moment when a person turns to a device to act on a need—to know, to do, or to buy.
The to-know moments are those when someone is exploring or researching but is not necessarily in the purchase mode. Similarly, the to-do moments are those when someone wants help completing a task or is trying something new—for example, onboarding support for a new customer.
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Both these scenarios are crucial in the customer’s buying journey since decisions would be based on what kind of information brands deliver to them. Needless to say, real-time information delivery makes a huge difference to the customer’s decision, especially in customer support, and first, when the customer’s grievance has to be put to rest immediately.
It’s here that Podium Webchat can prove to be a brand’s best friend. If you have a website that attracts visitors round the clock, it is not possible to answer their queries 24/7. Webchat can help take over when you don’t have the personnel to man the chat interface. It can collect inputs from users and send automated responses to common questions or navigate them to frequently asked questions.
With Podium, you can also transfer webchats over to text, allowing your customers to be kept in contact with wherever they are, not only when they are tethered to their computer like other chat software.
02. Chatbot interactions
AI-enabled chatbots are computer programs that can mimic human conversations, including native language and tonal modulations. Compared to live chat software, they are far more advanced and can provide dynamic responses to user queries.
What makes chatbot beneficial for businesses is that they are easily scalable, they continuously learn from user interactions and can be customized extensively for any industry or business function. Unsupervised learning using AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) makes chatbots independent software that can scale capabilities on their own.
Lyft, the cab-hailing app, which provides roughly 10 million rides a week, is just one of the many brands using chatbots to deliver better customer experience. Lyft’s mobile app is integrated with an AI-powered chatbot that makes cab booking a breeze for customers. The chatbot enables passengers to leave with a resolution in less than 30 seconds.
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In fact, thanks to bots like the Facebook Messenger Bot, SlackBot, and the likes, it’s now possible for brands to integrate chatbots into multiple mediums through which customers can interact with them. These bots come pre-programmed with FAQs that simplify the work for businesses that are just getting on board the chatbot bandwagon.
While technology like chatbots can augment human interactions, they’ll never replace them. If you’re considering adding chatbots into your marketing, make sure they aren’t damaging your customer experience. Person-to-person communication from your Podium Inbox is still an important part of the equation.
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03. Omnichannel support
Most customer journeys begin with a mobile search, are resumed on a tablet, and often conclude on a desktop. As a result, there could be several variants of the same customer journey. Google found in its study that 90% of multiple device owners switch between screens to complete tasks, using an average of three different combinations every day. The point is, if your customers use multiple channels before they make a purchase, customer support should follow suit.
In fact, according to an SDL survey, holiday shoppers expect consistent brand experiences across channels and devices. So, one of the ways brands can elevate customer experience is by offering customer support across the web, phone, chat, social media, and in-store. To avoid isolating the channels from each other, it can be hugely beneficial for the channels to be integrated, so the process feels simple and seamless. It should absolve the customer from having to repeat their queries to multiple agents or through multiple mediums.
And even if you don’t have elaborate support tools, teams, and processes, you can still deliver a unified experience by connecting various messaging channels—like Facebook, Google, and Apple—to a single dashboard that’s accessible to your whole team with Podium. Click the links above to access some Help Center resources to get you started on creating an omnichannel experience.
The point worth remembering is that multichannel is not the same as omnichannel. Multichannel has various siloed forms of support. Omnichannel, on the other hand, is integrated to provide a seamless support experience.
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04. Customer ratings and reviews
Despite the massive proliferation of online browsing and shopping, customers still have some doubt lingering in the back of their minds regarding placing orders or coming into your business. This is largely due to the lack of physical touch that is usually present in a brick-and-mortar store. There’s also a small element of ambiguity involved in the quality of the product, its dimensions, and its durability.
Customer ratings and reviews are a powerful way to help dispel those doubts. They act as social proof and help your customers make informed decisions. Since customer ratings and reviews are user-generated, they create a higher level of confidence in prospects.
In a way, these ratings and reviews can also help in lead generation. The feedback and suggestions customers offer through their reviews can be considered as pointers for improvement in the product/service. A brand that actively listens to its customers and takes corrective actions will be seen as a customer-centric brand. And customer-centric brands have little trouble in lead generation.
With Podium, you can send review invites via text, so you can make sure you’re getting reviews on the sites that matter most. Increasing the number of reviews you have on sites like google can help with SEO, improve your online visibility, and ultimately give you a boost in lead generation. Here are some best practices for collecting reviews.
Why customer experience is here to stay
In a world of on-demand everything, customers are spoiled with unlimited choices. The next best choice is just an online search away. This puts tremendous pressure on businesses to sustain their customer experience. Thus, unique and interactive customer experience can be a huge differentiator.
Brands that elevate the user experience can ultimately retain more current customers and improve lead generation across potential customers. Leads generated through a higher touch experience will stick around longer, spend more money, and be easier to retain—all of which is beneficial for your business’ bottom line. With Podium, you can elevate your brand at every point in the customer journey, all from a single dashboard.
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