At CalendarSpots we offer online appointment scheduling software to small businesses from all types of verticals. Everyday we speak to new clients that have no idea that they could run their business over the cloud. Once they start to realize how much time and resources our software saves them, they’re hooked. However, our software is only one of the factors that has led to our success.
As a B2B SaaS (software as a service) provider, you usually have to offer some type of technical assistance. In our case, we put a lot of emphasis on support since it plays a big role in our overall customer experience strategy. I would even go as far as saying that one of the keys to our success is the fact that we are easy to reach by phone. Anybody can say that they offer quality customer support, but when push comes to shove, you have to make sure you can deliver. If you want customer support to be a top priority for your business, make sure that you dedicate enough resources to it and make it part of your corporate culture.
While this dedication to offering top-notch customer service and support takes a lot effort, it’s important to realize that it does pay off in the long-run. Here are two reasons why focusing on customer support gives real results:
It can increase your client retention rate
The cost of acquiring new clients is usually much higher than the cost of retaining current ones. Therefore, it makes a lot of business sense for you to want your clients to stay with you for as long as possible. In Permission Marketing, Seth Godin points out the importance of building relationships in order to maintain your customer base. When you provide excellent support and customer service, you are in fact building a relationship with your clients. The stronger the relationship, the less likely they will switch to one of your competitors.
It encourages referrals
Getting warm calls is very important in a highly competitive market. It is one of the best ways to break through the clutter and get people to try what you have to offer. By focusing on customer experience and support, you can encourage a culture where your clients want to help you succeed and grow. Some of your clients might even go as far as becoming product evangelists and freely encourage others to buy your stuff. The effort you put into making your current customers happy will pay-off in the long-run with quality recommendations and referrals.
