Customer service is a critical function for any company. Employees are an integral part of keeping a company’s relationships with its clients on solid ground, and without good customer service, a company can flounder. Today, however, technology isn’t just playing a bigger role in customer service; it’s becoming more important. The rise of social media, the Internet, and mobile devices has created a more connected world where a company is only as far away as the device that they’re using. Customer service is becoming more tech-oriented and it’s beneficial for both clients and companies.
Although most businesses are aware of the need for excellent customer experience, they often overlook how they utilize technology to increase customer satisfaction. This means that if the company is using traditional customer service methods, it may be leaving some customers out. Fortunately, new technologies will enable businesses to improve their customer service departments in innovative ways. For businesses that are struggling in this area, this might be the perfect time to leverage technology to provide better service. These are the ways technology will help improve customer experience:
- Track customer experience: Today, companies use technology to track customers’ experiences from the point of view of users on both the computer and the phone. Companies use this information to understand why a customer is having problems, how to resolve those problems, and how to better tailor their services to the needs of each customer.
- Create a connection: For businesses to understand what their customers want, they first need to create a connection that allows them to communicate with clients effectively and efficiently.
- Increase customer satisfaction: Technology has become a way for companies to increase their ability to serve clients and improve the experience of the average customer. This is especially true given the fact that more businesses are embracing new technologies. Grey Loud’s informative post may also convince you to outsource software development so your company can leverage mobile apps and other technologies for better customer satisfaction.
When you think about these benefits, you’ll be inspired to come up with ways to guide your company to provide better customer support overall. Look at these five tech ideas that can help you in achieving this goal:
- Messaging
An exceptional customer support program should enable you and your team to resolve any issue and connect with your customers promptly. There are different ways to do this:
- Businesses should exert effort in reinforcing customer loyalty with on-site live chat. A great chatting service is capable of resolving common problems and allowing clients to leave feedback, ratings, and comments on your services.
- A chatbot is a program that performs a task that would normally be performed by a human. You can utilize chatbots that assist in providing information and resources to help customers navigate through the buying cycle.
- Mobile Apps
Companies nowadays understand how essential mobile apps are for business success. New customers and existing ones can be quickly informed of upcoming sales, specials, and other marketing-related activities. Ideally, a mobile app should have the following features:
- An excellent app should make these communication options straightforward and accessible through a user-friendly interface.
- A well-designed app should enable customers to respond at the touch of a button. An exceptional mobile app should offer navigation options that are simple to use and, ideally, intuitive for better customer satisfaction.
- Location-Based Services
Another way technology improves customer experience is through location-based services. Many people take advantage of smartphone apps to discover restaurants, shops, and other businesses right away. For example, if you’re searching for restaurant reservations in the middle of nowhere, wouldn’t it be more convenient to look up an establishment’s proximity using an app? Fortunately, many third-party developers have taken this idea to a new level by developing mobile apps that provide customers with detailed information on businesses and services based on their location.
- Internet Of Things
As more companies look for new ways to improve customer service through technology, one such technology that’s gaining a lot of traction is the Internet of Things (IoT). Here’s how it works:
- The IoT refers to the combination of hardware and software that allows customers to interact with their products and devices in a brand-new way.
- This new technology not only provides a better method of interacting with a brand but also benefits customers by eliminating the need to stand in long lines to access products or services so they can spend more time doing other things. This, in turn, means an increase in the bottom line for retailers because costs associated with payroll and other operating expenses can be minimized through the use of the IoT.
Takeaway
Customer experience is the overall impression that your customers have of your company during all stages of their journey through all areas of their purchase. Customer experience impacts key factors such as your bottom line, your target market’s perception of your company, and, most of all, your business’ reputation. The two main touchpoints, which create the most positive customer experience, are a combination of human response and technology. Therefore, companies need to strike a balance between customer care and technological sophistication to achieve their goals of improving client experience.