Needless to say, ensuring that your customers are receiving the best service possible is a top priority for your company. However, it’s a goal that is easier said than done ”especially given that this is a goal of your competitors as well.
So how do you stand out amongst your competition by offering world-class customer care to each and every customer? You should make use of the most advanced and innovative customer care technologies on the market. If you’re not sure which technologies are worth investing in, here are the top ones that will help you achieve your customer care objectives.
1. Customer Portal
A customer portal is one customer care technology you’ll wonder how you managed without. For those new to the technology, a customer care portal is a useful type of software that provides customers greater transparency into their interactions with your company. It offers this by presenting customers with an easy-to-use interface where they can perform a range of actions from creating and tracking support tickets to reading up on detailed FAQ information.
So why is transparency so important when it comes to your customers, anyway? Research from Sprout Social found that 86% of Americans believe transparency from businesses is more important than ever before. If that wasn’t convincing enough, greater transparency can boost your bottom line. The research also found that 73% of consumers are willing to pay more for products that guarantee total transparency.
There are many other benefits of utilizing an easy-to-use customer portal. Businesses can take advantage of the fact that they allow for better organization of tasks and interactions with customers. For instance, customer service agents will be able to more efficiently track each and every customer query. Needless to say, this will lead to a boost in customer satisfaction levels. What’s more, customers appreciate the opportunity to use a customer portal because they make it far simpler and quicker for them to not only keep tabs on their interactions with your company, but also follow the status of their orders.
2. Chatbots
You’ve no doubt encountered chatbots yourself when visiting your favorite websites, but you may not have considered using them on your own company’s website. It’s no wonder when so many of us have had bad customer experiences when using them. Oftentimes, chatbots are clunky to use and don’t end up providing the answers we’re seeking. But that doesn’t mean you should discount them altogether.
Just like any technology, there’s a considerable difference between different chatbot services. If you’ve only encountered low-quality and glitchy chatbots, you may be surprised to find that there are many sophisticated options available that can genuinely help improve your customer service. It’s worth keeping in mind that according to MIT Technology Review, almost 90 percent of survey respondents recorded significant improvements in the speed of complaint resolution using AI technologies like chatbots.
Chatbots are so helpful because they provide customers with real-time support at their fingertips. Unlike calling up a customer support line, they don’t need to worry about being put on hold, nor interacting with a real person. The fact that chatbots reduce the number of customer service agents needed will also save your company substantial money. To ensure chatbots help (not hinder!) your customer care efforts, make sure to do your research when selecting a service provider.
3. Instant Feedback Bots
Instant feedback bots are a type of customer care technology that are quickly gaining traction. While not as widespread as chatbots, instant feedback bots are equally as useful. That being said, they serve a completely different customer care purpose. While chatbots resolve customer queries, instant feedback bots gather information from your customers about their experiences with your company.
Instant feedback bots can be customized according to your customer service goals. For instance, your instant feedback bot can ask a visitor, What made you decide not to buy XYZ? as soon as they click out of a product page. Or, it can ask a visitor, What can we do to improve our service to you? if they decide to leave your site without making a purchase.
By collecting visitors’ feedback on their interactions with your site, you’ll be able to pinpoint what’s working, as well as what needs improving. Making changes to your site based on such feedback will ensure that you provide them with an optimal experience every time they visit.
