5 Benefits of Improving Customer Service Online for Businesses
In today’s digital-first market, customer service becomes a major touchpoint in the customer journey. Consumers want online help that’s faster, personalized, solves their issues, and feels just like a “made-for-me” experience.
And customers are everywhere.
From websites, social media, to live chat, and even on apps. The businesses that invest in being present and always a scroll away when customers need help make it big.
So, read on to learn about the five benefits of improving and having a proactive customer service online.
Why Is Improving Online Customer Service a Great Idea for Businesses
Online customer service is a key component of the fast-moving online businesses of today. This ranges from Business-to-Customer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) model types.
Some key shifts to back this up would be the increased demand for e-commerce, digital transformations, and the expanded global reach. However, it doesn’t mean that an offline approach has vanished. Instead, a mix of both is the most beneficial.
Let’s take a look at a few of the benefits of improving online customer service for businesses.
Customer Retention
This is by far the best benefit to a business, as it allows retaining customers once they’re in your sales funnel.
But did you know?
According to the American Express Customer Service Barometer, about 50% of U.S. consumers have left a purchase midway due to poor CS. This is mainly because it breaches the trust of customers to be supported when they want to be.
For instance, when a customer asks a question before purchasing, they expect to get prompt and exact answers. But instead, if they are met with a moody support person who doesn’t help them, they may reconsider purchasing the product or service.
On the other hand, another example is my personal experience with Xfinity Customer Service. I was looking to switch to a different ISP, and decided to call their customer service. Not only was the representative extremely professional and helpful, they also helped me pick a plan tailored to my needs, instead of trying to sell their highest tier.
So, it’s very important to treat customers with kindness, empathy, and out of genuine help, and you’ll see them convert. It also leads to better customer satisfaction rates and a positive word of mouth.
Win-win, right?
Efficient Operations
Businesses can build efficiency and even save costs while improving productivity and overall morale. Especially with AI support, agents get more time to handle queries that need to be dealt with sensitivity and time.
In short, this leads to fewer costs with a lower number of unhappy customers. They all get their chance, and issues get resolved faster, leading to fewer downtimes.
Increased Sales & ROI’s
Customer service is about happy customers, right? But what about the shareholders? They need to be happy too. But to convince them, a higher ROI is the only way.
The ROI (Return On Investment) is more important to the shareholders, because it’s a return on their investment. On the other hand, sales profit goes back into the business in most cases.
According to Zendesk, happy customers become your advocates and organic leads for your brand. It also reduces the churn time when dealing with existing customers and retains customers already in, while attracting new customers through the older ones. This leads to expansion and other growth opportunities.
All of this leads to higher sales and ROI’s, which leads to growth.
Better Customer Insights
With more data in the online space, customer insights are gathered much more effectively.
Digital support generates a wide array of data on needs, preferences, buying habits, etc. It even stores specifics like site clicks, the number of times a customer added something to the cart, or scrolls and swipes.
Leveraging this data to improve customer support channels and services gives the brand targeted engagement. This will help to improve how your brand deals with customers to continuously improve offerings, services, and customer support.
The mix creates happy customers, repeat purchasers, and word of mouth, leading to higher sales.
Competitive Edge
Focusing on your customer service is like the holy grail of gaining the edge in a market full of competition.
Even a small brand that just started out can grow in a market full of big giants if its customer service is on point. I’m not saying triple overnight, but gain a significant edge when it comes to other brands.
This is proven by the fact that almost 85% of customers switch to a company with better customer support and go out of their way to do so when unsatisfied.
Thus, if you focus on digital support that still has gaps due to very high need and sudden online shifts, you will have a competitive edge against the bigger brands.
Bonus: Is the Shift Permanent?
It is most likely permanent, as more businesses move online to accommodate varying demands, such as:
- Convenience: Consumers have easy access to 24/7 shopping. With many marketplaces offering express shipping, customers can have a product at their doorstep within hours.
- Personalization: Better and accurate data on customers to provide product recommendations based on historical data like previous buying habits, and offer suggestions.
- Adaptability: Businesses adapt better to market changes, such as trends that offer insights into trending products.
In the modern world, customer service and all its relevant support requisites are no longer the “niceties” to have, but the star of the show, as it brings all the benefits we discussed and more.
It’s also more about just the “delight” factor. Customers want a more personalized approach, efficient, and one that turns them into avid followers of your brand. All in all, improving and making your online customer service as a business is non-negotiable nowadays.