Bringing Customer Service into the Future

The world is rapidly evolving into a digital age, changing the way businesses create and implement day-to-day practices and approach change. Everyone is affected by advances in technology, but today we’re going to focus on how these advances impact customer service professionals. You can help your team stay up to date, and get ahead of the curve, by keeping on top of the trends and planning for the future. For maximum success, your employees need to keep up with the rapid technological growth and adapt accordingly.

The Advancement of Customer Service

A study by the Pew Research Center found that millennials will be America’s largest generation by 2019 so it’s important to understand what they, and other demographics, expect from their service experiences. Millennials are all about do-it-yourself but they’re not your only consumers. All customers want service to be swift, connective, engaging, and personalized – and these traits are becoming more important in service interactions every day.

Using the Right Tools

Immediacy

The internet has heightened the demand for instant gratification, requiring quick action from customer service professionals. Applications like chatbots and social media sites such as twitter allow your staff to quickly offer help without the time suck of sifting through and responding to emails and voicemail messages. Hands-free, interactive assistance in real-time is the way of the future.

Transparency and Accountability

A company is only as good as its brand and honesty is more important than ever. Your words have to ring true, whether they’re spoken in person or written on your website or other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Yelp. When you respond to customers quickly, honestly, and with humility, your business will earn a positive public image.

Feedback

Customer feedback is an invaluable opportunity to learn what your strengths are and where your organization can improve. Too often, companies take their customer feedback for granted and fail to act on it. Websites likes Yelp and Facebook provide consumers with a platform to openly voice their experiences and take the guesswork out of assessing your customers’ needs. Listening to your clients, and taking their opinions to heart, will help you maintain a loyal customer base long into the future.

One example of this comes from the ridesharing networks, Uber and Lyft. Both transportation network companies have integrated a “co-creation” aspect, in which the customer and the service provider (the driver) are rated on their professionalism and performance. This mutual rating system allows for an enhanced sense of shared responsibility and is used to shape future customer experiences.

The Future of Your Company’s Customer Service

Implementing modern and cutting-edge technology into your products and methods is imperative to the growth of your customer service processes, your employees, and your entire company.