The Customer Service Secrets That No One Tells You (But You Need to Know)

$3.1 trillion,

This is the estimated revenue lost by businesses each year due to poor customer service, according to research from Qualtrics.

That’s more than Canada’s GDP ($2,139.84 billion in 2022)!

Poor customer service affects revenue and deteriorates a brand’s reputation.

Think about your own experiences. How often have you stepped out from frustrating interactions feeling unheard, undervalued, and ready to move your business elsewhere?

Those micro-moments of dissatisfaction, amplified across millions of customers, become a torrent of lost revenue and shattered trust.

But, what if each customer interaction becomes an opportunity to build loyalty, develop meaningful relationships, and turn frustration into smiles?

It’s all about placing the customer at the base, comprehending their needs, and addressing them are the pillars of positive customer service.

In this blog, I will reveal the customer service secrets that will help you build positive customer experiences.

So, let’s get started.

Proactive solutions with AI: Transforming customer experience through hyper-personalization

Go beyond recommending the right product or services. With GenAI and data, you can anticipate the customer’s needs, suggest the solution they’re asked for, and offer preemptive support based on their browsing behavior.

According to McKinsey’s global B2B Pulse Survey 2023, 77% of global companies investing in one-to-one personalization, i.e. hyper-personalization, experienced increased market share.

This report further said that 59% of companies invested in tools that drive personalization saw a 10% increase in revenue, compared to 32% of those who saw a 5% increase.

Hyper-personalization refers to the practices of coupling AI with real-time customer data. This results in highly relevant content, products, services, and information specific to each individual.

A global leader in music streaming, Spotify employs AI to deliver hyper-personalized music recommendations. It uses data collected from users’ listening habits, playlists they create, and real-time records as well to deliver an experience tailored to each user.

Omnichannel engagement: Consistent customer experience across all channels

Omnichannel customer experience entails a smooth and integrated customer experience across all channels and touchpoints. This enables customers to switch their communication channels without repeating their issues. For example, if a customer raises a complaint over the email, and has yet to hear back. So, a customer makes a phone call, and as soon as they connect with the support agent, they can find all the customer’s details from the email.

Customers don’t have to repeat the information, ensuring speedy resolution of the problem.

According to a report from Gurus Coach, companies with robust omnichannel customer engagement have an 89% higher customer retention rate.

The same report from Gurus Coach also found that 71% of customers expect an omnichannel experience, but only 29% get it.

Another Adobe report found that businesses with effective omnichannel strategies have experienced a 10% increase in year-over-year growth, a 10% increase in order value, and a 25% improvement in close rates.

The world’s leading smartphone manufacturer, Apple has omnichannel customer strategies. If a customer raises a complaint regarding any of its products, the support reps can create a ticket for it if the issue requires you to take your product to the service center. This ticket is shared with the store, and Apple ensures that the in-store employees have access to the ticket, so when customers visit the store, they don’t have to describe the issue from the start and can hope for a faster resolution.

Ensure the right agent is working with the right customers

One out of seven customer complaints with a longer resolution time could be resolved faster if the right agent handled them.

According to the Global Customer Service Report from Microsoft, 96% of over 5000 survey respondents said that knowledge of support agents is crucial for their satisfaction.

A report by Gartner also says that issue resolution time could be reduced by 40% with the proper utilization of agent expertise.

What does the meaning of the right agent work with the right customer?

A customer has technical issues; it would be great if the customer is connected with a support agent who understands technical aspects. Similarly, if a customer has problems related to product shipment, it’s best to communicate with someone who has access to product shipment.

To put this into practice, you can implement a system called “skill-based routing (SBR).”

SBR works by categorizing agents based on their area of expertise, such as language proficiency, technical understanding, and more specific to each organization. The businesses can set the appropriate routing rules to ensure the customer inquiry is routed to the right agent.

Some of the world’s leading businesses including Amazon, Cisco, AVOXI, and more are leveraging the power of skill-based routing.

Thank your loyal customers with small gestures

Customer services should not only be limited to addressing customer queries; you should go beyond that and appreciate the loyal customers who believe in you.

According to the Global Customer Loyalty Report 2024 from Antavo, the average ROI of a loyalty program is 4.9x, meaning every dollar spent generates $4.9 in return.

Around 23%-30% stopped doing business with a brand each year owing to the lack of loyalty programs, according to a study from Zippia.

Loyalty programs don’t only mean discount programs. It could be a small gesture like writing a thank you note to acknowledge their continuous belief in you.

Another example of a perfect loyalty program could be offering customers who had a bad experience with the brand access to special discounts or exclusive access to new products. It would serve as a token of apology, giving the impression that customers are valued.

Starbucks adopted this customer service strategy. The brand offers free drinks or baked goods to customers who have had bad experiences with the brand. This helps them rebuild the customers’ trust, ensuring long-term business with them.

Final take

These are some of the most common yet effective customer service secrets every business owner needs to know. These strategies are evergreen; they are going to stay. However, the way of practicing them may change owing to technological advances.

Adopting these strategies begins by empowering your employees to do their job best. Empower your employees with the right technology, tools, training, and liberty to be experimental.

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