It’s impossible to overemphasize the importance of exceptional customer communication. Anytime someone reaches out, you should be ready to listen because customer feedback is everything along with how you handle it.
Questions? Provide answers. Praise? Show gratitude. Complaint? Express remorse.
Sure, that’s an oversimplification, but every one of these categories has value that can apply to future business improvements. And wouldn’t it be amazing to gather all this customer data while also encouraging positive sentiment from current and prospective leads? Accomplish more by offering a variety of options, meeting customers where they’d like to conduct conversation.
Chances are, you’ll find some customers prefer phone calls, while others jump on email, text, or chat. Maybe you even know someone who’d rather send snail mail covered in 1-cent stamps. Regardless of the customer communication method they favor, ideally, aim to provide access to several friction-reducing channels.
Want Loyal Customers? Offer Convenient Communication
Do you ever feel worn out by ordinary tasks, and just wish modern life was a bit simpler? Crossing off to-do list items is a satisfying experience, but this journey isn’t always a smooth ride when reliant on other parties to play a role as well.
Your customers feel the same way whenever they reach out through a customer support channel. They’re looking for answers and solutions, and they really don’t want any fuss along the way. Their goal is to get what they need and move on with their day without too much brain strain. Are you helping or hindering your customers’ progress?
The first step toward improving customer relations is empathizing with their situation. By considering other perspectives and how you’d feel under those circumstances, you’ll be able to craft solutions with meaningful outcomes. And when you strive to make your customers’ lives easier, you’re definitely on the path to gaining long-term loyalty.
Valuing their time was the top indicator of a positive customer service experience for 73% of customers, according to Forrester research. To meet their expectations, make it your goal to infuse convenience into every aspect of your company’s outbound customer communications.
That means recognizing that your on-the-go customers need the flexibility and options they crave, so there’s no stalling out during a potential sale. By acknowledging and understanding the needs of your audience, you’ll be able to forge a lasting relationship and retain customers. They’ll know they can count on you every time, encouraging further interactions.
Failing to meet customer expectations is a good way to push them toward a competitor that’s willing to match their preferred communication choice. Banish temptation, gain more business, and improve customer satisfaction by making it obvious their terms matter.
What is Prompt-to-Text and How Does it Work?
Almost every adult has a cell phone on hand at all times, yet the call feature sometimes feels downright outdated. Many users prefer to communicate using text and other messaging apps because of their asynchronous nature. This means each party involved in a conversation can respond when they’re available, which isn’t always at the same time.
It may seem counterintuitive to skip out on real-time conversations, but as mentioned above, gaining goodwill with customers requires flexibility. You need to cater to a variety of preferences to provide a superior customer experience.
You probably already know that waiting around on hold isn’t the best way to pregame an important and sometimes anxiety-inducing conversation. This setup makes customers feel helpless as they patiently (ok, maybe impatiently) sit on their questions or concerns.
When HubSpot conducted a customer service survey, 33% of responders were most frustrated by waiting on hold. And we all know that this can lead to poor experiences for both the customer and the support agent. That’s why prompt-to-text is a powerful alternative to manage customer conversations. It gives customers the option to get in touch via text rather than listen to recording-laced instrumental music for 30 minutes.
How does prompt-to-text work? When a customer calls your support line, they’ll hear a message with instructions for contacting you via text instead (if desired). This gives customers the option to communicate on their own schedule, with reassurance that a company representative will be in touch soon.
The great thing about deflecting calls to text is that it allows you to pre-screen why customers are contacting your business so you can quickly triage their message to the best resource within your company. This saves tons of time, a boon for both you and your customer.
