Customer service must be oriented toward problem solving, providing 24/7 service, and demonstrating accessibility and interest in user reactions and needs with the goal of ensuring a satisfactory customer experience.
Customer service is a concept specific to the field of business that encompasses the policies, actions and provisions of a company regarding the treatment and contact with consumers before, during and after a purchase or contracting of services.
The platform or support to provide service to users is necessary and important because it demonstrates interest, responsibility and commitment at the corporate level in pursuit of a good experience for buyers.
The customer service area takes advantage of social networks and other resources, such as email support , live chat and telephone service , in its strategy of offering a personalized, agile and direct service . It is also nourished by customer satisfaction surveys to measure the panorama and, based on these parameters, the company can modify (or not lose sight of) what threatens its image and puts customer trust at risk. people or go deeper and preserve the successes.
Basics of customer service
The bases of customer service are competencies, skills and achievements linked to precision, speed, respect, tolerance, empathy , communication , accessibility and transparency.
The training of personnel who work in the customer service sector is essential, but it is useless to instruct workers from theory if they lack sensitivity and patience , do not know how to control their emotions or do not put into practice the modality of active listening .
Training in customer service must aim, in all cases, to give prominence to consumers. The focus should be on what guidelines must be followed to guarantee customer satisfaction and knowing how to proceed with difficult users or those who show a considerable level of anger or annoyance. Of course, although each of the employees must train their temperance and demonstrate good management of anger and stress in dialogues and exchanges of messages with angry, indignant or intolerant people, corporate conduct must be based on camaraderie , cooperation, unity and support because, ultimately, from real life it is clear that the customer is not always right .
Good disposition , positive language, knowledge of the product/ service and effective communication , likewise, constitute an unbeatable formula for the team that, in front of the public, acts as the face or image of a firm.
For a venture or business to prosper, first of all, you must attract clientele and have sufficient professionalism and quality to retain them. Achieving customer retention is a challenge that is not impossible if you captivate them with a top-notch service or item and provide them with rewarding after-sales service . It must be taken into account that, when the purchasing or contracting experience is satisfactory, the possibility of gaining customer loyalty increases.
With this objective achieved, every company grows in prestige , positioning, financial planning and profitability.
Giving personalized treatment, implementing loyalty (or fidelity) programs , fostering an emotional bond between consumers and a brand, continually improving and rewarding the trust of users, positively influences the clientele, inspiring them to recommend the company among friends. or family members and to choose it over time.
Any company that wants to consolidate or maintain itself in the market has to pay attention to customer feedback and act based on the repercussions and opinions that are obtained.
Technology for consumer service
Although we continue to depend on human resources to establish a link between company and community, there is more and more technology aimed at consumer service .
Making use of artificial intelligence , for example, transmits innovation, helps reduce costs and, through chatbots , ensures that permanent assistance is offered on a full-time basis with a 24/7 service .
The adoption of a software system for customer relationship management (CRM) , the activation of a support email , remote assistance and the automation of different tasks enrich the user service area.
Regardless of the modernization associated with communication (it is even becoming more common to enable a WhatsApp number to receive queries, orders, suggestions, etc.), it is recommended that companies demonstrate flexibility in terms of merchandise changes , refunds or guarantees . and assume the shipping and delivery service responsibly and seriously, for example.
The 24/7 customer service is especially valued in emergency cases and when this strategy serves to speed up response time and problem resolution.
Measure and improve customer service
When it comes to measuring and improving customer service , knowledge, attention and effort must be directed towards data collection techniques, interpretation of statistics and efficiently planned and executed actions that reflect positive changes.
Analyze customer reviews and testimonials and respond to them courteously ; do not ignore messages of complaints and claims ; Knowing the results of surveys and consumer satisfaction level scales and studying each of the customer service metrics are practices that provide bosses, executives and business owners with a real and valuable snapshot of how things are going. the business.