How to do customer service and support properly

In today’s competitive business landscape, exceptional customer service and customer support are essential for success.

Here is a business truism; the bigger a company gets, the worse its service gets.

Yes, we’re looking at you Salesforce, Google, Microsoft, etc.

Hi, we’re BuddyCRM, and we’re not a big faceless monolith that doesn’t care about you the day after you sign up. Let’s face it, all companies grow to a scale based on their ability to deliver a product or service well. But at some point, many of them stop caring about you (the customer) and start caring only about themselves.

Specifically their bottom line.

They grow to a certain size, the founder leaves, a new CEO arrives, and the first thing they do is look where they can save a buck or two. Reducing costs through headcount, cutting back expenses, and slowing development are the standard tricks new management does to make profits look better. Ultimately, the customer suffers.

They rarely look at how they can make their product better for you, overdelivering on service, and make your business more successful.

Here’s one example of a big company not concentrating on customer service and experience. Analyst, Ted Gio in his article on Spotify, noted the following behaviour. “A crappy interface with mediocre audio quality that provides almost no information on musicians will inevitably lead to declining fan loyalty—and so it’s no surprise that, when the economy gets in a tight spot, people cancel music subscriptions. Spotify’s attempts to channel listeners into music that’s more profitable to them (e.g., work-for-hire tracks from unknown artists) leads to the same end result. This is like the famous table of new books at the front of the Barnes & Noble store—where the company has the choice of displaying the books people will enjoy the most, or instead feature offerings from publishers willing to pay for placement. Every time a company decides to steer consumers deliberately to inferior products because of behind-the-scenes financial incentives, they undermine their own business model. It may provide a short-term boost but, sooner or later, results in declining customer loyalty.“

Other examples abound throughout our lives of corporations that become too big to care. Private water companies pollute our waterways because it would cost them too much to upgrade facilities to deal with the problem. Big tech is rife with poor customer service – try ringing Google or Microsoft to discuss your email subscription. Customer service is so poor in the tech industry that the EU has recently passed a number of regulations to counter their too-big-to-care behaviour. Things are just as bad here and the UK is considering bringing in maximum waiting standards to call answering time in a new law, the Consumer Telephone Service Standards Bill.

Large companies can deal with the churn of customers because they are essentially monopolies. Customers have little choice but to accept poor service because the cost of losing your business is low, and all the competitors have been bought out.

At BuddyCRM, we don’t treat you like that.

We want you to have a great experience using our product because we know that it can have such a positive effect on your business.

We care about your success because ultimately that’s our success too.

But what about your business?

Are you too big to care? On the way to getting there? Does the reputation of your business still matter to you? Does your company continue to hold customer service in high regard?

Customer service is paramount at BuddyCRM. We can’t afford to be cavalier in our approach to customers, as we rely on you to spread the word about us.

And word-of-mouth is vital to keep new business coming in. It’s the lifeblood of growing businesses to have recommendations from their existing customers and is in fact where the majority of new leads come from in business.

So what do you think motivates customers to recommend your company? Good customer service and a positive product experience.

Just what does good customer service look like?

• Quick responses when customers ask questions or request support.
• Genuinely caring about the answers you provide to your customers. Empathy is a core requirement of all customer service. You want your customer support team to actively care about their support and deliver the best solution so your customer will continue to use your product and talk to others positively about it,
• Acting on feedback. When a customer gives you feedback, then do more than add it to a list. Collect feedback and actively work on a response with colleagues. If there are systems, product features, or service delivery that needs to change then create a plan to make it happen. Use feedback to improve your company, products, and services and ensure you respond positively to the customer.
• Transparent communication, ensuring customers are well informed throughout the process. This includes setting expectations, providing regular updates, and being honest about any challenges or delays.
• Flexibility and adaptability to meet unique customer needs. Good customer service recognises that one size does not fit all, and strives to tailor solutions accordingly.
• Empowerment of customer support staff to make decisions and resolve issues autonomously, streamlining the resolution process and minimising frustration for both parties.
• Continuous improvement and training of customer support teams, as well as fostering a culture of learning and collaboration within the organisation. This will lead to enhanced problem-solving skills and overall better service.

So how do you implement good customer service in a business?

Good customer service comes from your company culture, starting from the top. Lead as you wish your team and colleagues to with a customer-first approach. It also involves strategic planning, employee training, and continuous improvement. Here are some key steps to take:

1. Develop a customer service strategy: Establish clear objectives and goals for your customer service, and align them with your company’s overall mission and vision. This will help create a unified understanding of the importance of customer service across the organisation.
2. Hire the right people: Look for individuals with excellent communication skills, empathy, and a genuine desire to help others. A customer-centric attitude is crucial for providing top-notch service.
3. Invest in training: Regularly train your customer service team in communication, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution techniques. Encourage continuous learning and professional development to keep staff up-to-date on industry trends and best practices.
4. Empower employees: Give your customer support team the autonomy to make decisions and resolve issues without excessive bureaucracy. This enables quicker problem resolution and fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among staff.
5. Set performance standards: Establish clear and measurable performance indicators for your customer service team. Regularly evaluate and provide feedback on performance to ensure staff are meeting expectations and improving over time.
6. Utilise technology: Implement customer service tools and systems, such as CRM software, live chat, and helpdesk solutions, to streamline processes, improve response times, and enhance overall efficiency.
   
   
   The case module in BuddyCRM lets you manage customer support queries.
   
7. Monitor customer feedback: Collect and analyse customer feedback through surveys, online reviews, and social media. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments.
8. Foster a customer-centric culture: Encourage a company-wide commitment to customer satisfaction, and recognise and reward employees who go above and beyond in their customer service efforts.
9. Be proactive: Anticipate customer needs and address potential issues before they escalate. This may involve monitoring customer interactions, analysing trends, and staying informed about industry developments. Work ahead of time to put in place the assistance that your customers might need in using your product or service. This could involve a FAQ on your website, support forums, helpful videos on your YouTube channel, hiring experts to deliver in-house training, offering free setup in a customer’s home, etc. Proactive assistance gets ahead of any issues with your product or service delivery before they happen. Educating a customer on product use lets them deal with easily solvable issues and reduces the need for advanced levels of customer support.
10. Communicate effectively: Ensure transparent and open communication with customers throughout their journey. Keep them informed about the progress of their enquiries, and be honest about any challenges or delays that may arise.
11. Personalise the customer experience: Strive to tailor your service to each customer’s unique needs and preferences. This can be achieved through attentive listening, using customers’ names, and understanding their history with your company.
12. Adapt to customer preferences: Stay up-to-date on emerging customer service channels and preferences, such as social media, live chat, or AI-powered chatbots. Be prepared to adjust your approach to meet changing customer expectations.
13. Evaluate and iterate: Regularly review your customer service processes and performance. Identify areas for improvement and implement changes as needed. This commitment to continuous improvement will help your business stay ahead of the competition.

The benefits of good customer service and support

The benefits of a focus on good customer service are huge! Here are just a few of them.

• Happier staff. When staff are empowered to deliver good service, they are able to use their skills to benefit others. Few things feel better than actually making another person’s day better!
• Lower staff churn. Happier staff = staff that stay in their jobs because they love coming to work. Companies that deliver poor service find themselves having to keep HR full-time involved in finding new candidates, writing references, and training new hires.
• Customer retention. You keep the customers you have and they keep coming back for more when you deliver great service. A customer is less likely to have their attention grabbed by a competitor when they’re not looking for better service.
• Word-of-mouth advertising. Happy customers talk to others about your company when asked for recommendations in your area. Other marketing tactics can’t compete with a recommendation from an existing customer and good customer service drives recommendations.
• Enhanced brand reputation: Good customer service can elevate your brand’s image, making it synonymous with reliability and trustworthiness. This positive reputation can attract new customers and set your business apart from competitors.
• Increased customer lifetime value: Satisfied customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and engage with your brand over a longer period. This leads to higher revenue and profitability per customer.
• Reduced customer complaints and returns: When customers receive top-notch service and support, they are less likely to raise complaints or return products. This can help minimise the resources dedicated to managing these issues and improve overall operational efficiency.
• Higher conversion rates: Providing exceptional customer service can boost customer confidence in your business, leading to higher conversion rates as potential customers are more likely to make a purchase.
• Competitive edge: A strong customer service culture can give your business a competitive advantage, as customers are more likely to choose a company known for its excellent service.
• Positive online reviews and social media presence: Satisfied customers are more likely to leave positive online reviews and share their experiences on social media, which can help attract new customers and improve your online reputation.
• Customer insights and innovation: Good customer service involves actively listening to customer feedback and using it to refine your products and services. This can lead to innovation and the development of new offerings

So now you know customer service is the answer to making your company competitive and successful

In today’s competitive business landscape, exceptional customer service is essential for success. You can foster customer loyalty and enhance your brand’s reputation by offering prompt and empathetic support, proactively addressing customer needs, and continuously refining your products and services.

Key aspects of good customer service include swift responses, genuine empathy, proactive action on feedback, transparent communication, flexibility, employee empowerment, and continuous learning. To implement these practices in your business, focus on strategic planning, employee training, and fostering a customer-centric culture.

The benefits of good customer service extend beyond customer satisfaction. They also include happier and more loyal staff, lower staff turnover, increased customer retention, word-of-mouth advertising, and a competitive edge in the market.

A valuable tool for facilitating excellent customer service is your CRM. CRM solutions streamline processes, improve response times, and enhance efficiency by centralising customer data and interactions. This enables your team to provide personalised, informed support while also allowing you to track and analyse customer feedback and trends.

In summary, delivering top-notch customer service is crucial for any business seeking to thrive in a competitive market. By implementing the right strategies and leveraging CRM technology, you can create lasting relationships with your customers and build a strong foundation for your company’s success.