For most businesses, winning new customers is a central part of their marketing strategy and an endeavor that takes a significant amount of time and resources. Retaining those hard-earned customers is equally—if not more—important and providing excellent customer service is a crucial part of that.
At its core, customer service is about ensuring customers have access to the information they need when they need it. This includes everything from accessing account information to getting help if an issue arises.
How important is customer service? It’s critical when you consider that it can take just one bad experience to lose a customer. Approximately 73 percent of customers would rather do business with a different company after a single bad experience. Almost half have followed through on that threat by taking their business elsewhere. 1
While these are certainly alarming statistics, there’s another way to look at customer service, and that’s through the lens of business strategy. Excellent service is a proven retention strategy, as more than 90 percent of customers are more likely to make repeat purchases from companies that excel at customer service. In addition to buying from these companies more often, almost half of consumers will pay more for a better experience or service.2 Excellent customer may even help with your goal to gain new customers; 75 percent of customers have recommended a company to someone else if they were pleased with the service.
Three Strategies to Improve Customer Service
While providing excellent service is a constant work in progress, there are a few actions you can take to ensure your company is meeting customer needs.
- Make it simple for customers to find the information they need. Most customers will search online when they have a question, so make sure your website and social media channels stay up to date. Remember to also include a simple way for customers to reach out if they need further information, such as a chatbot or a website inquiry form.
- Follow up promptly on inquiries. When customers have a question or a problem, they want a resolution as soon as possible. Set up automated messages to reassure customers know that you have received their inquiry, and staff appropriately to ensure phone calls are answered and emails are replied to promptly.
- Provide a tailored customer experience. One important part of customer service is giving customers the option to communicate in the way that is most convenient for them. Implementing an omnichannel communications strategy that includes options such as texting, direct mail and email communications and allowing customers to opt into the channels they prefer is a great way to meet this need while demonstrating your commitment to put their preferences first.
An Integrated Approach to Proven Personalized Communication Solutions
Providing your customers with prompt, accurate customer service is a crucial part of business success, and leaning on a trusted partner can help you deliver on this promise. From e-solutions to direct mail and transactional communications, Matrix can help you organize and execute campaigns that give customers the information they need, allowing them to easily interact with your business in their preferred way.
Let’s give your customers a reason to keep coming back for more. Contact us today to get started.
