Today’s technology has made communication between consumers and businesses much easier. With the widespread popularity of online tools, cloud computing, and mobile devices, customers are kept informed and connected more than ever.
Considering that is has also become possible to buy anything—anytime and anywhere, customers then expect 24/7 support from today’s marketplace. While it’s becoming more challenging for companies to keep up with consumer demand, it has also given them more avenues for engagement, as more platforms mean greater opportunities to provide excellent customer service and increase customer retention rate.
Here are seven contact points and tools you can use to increase further your engagement:
- Live Chat
Online support is now the new norm with the perpetuation of online shopping these days, it’s predicted to continue through the years without showing any signs of slowing down.
Offering a live chat option increases the chances for customers to describe exactly what they need, purchase precisely what they want, and tailor their buying decisions down to the smallest details. This is the perfect recipe for a satisfied buyer.
You may opt to use a service like LivePerson, as it uses the cloud to provide live customer support on a hosted basis using Instant of Live Chat.
- SMS Mobile Support
As people become glued to their smartphones day in and day out, providing text support will definitely earn you brownie points for convenience.
As a communications channel for customer support, it’s just one of the many ways you can reach out to customers while making sure they get what they want, as well as reaching you instantly. But before using this option, verify if your customer has given you the green light.
- Apps
Mobile apps allow you to interact with customers in real time and serve them specifically their needs. It’s also faster and easier to engage connected clients through it, and its existence on their mobile device ensures that you remain top of mind in your niche.
- 24/7 Support Tools
For 24/7 support, a relatively inexpensive but reliable software you can use is [24]7, formerly Intelliresponse.
This particular tool is capable of enhancing multichannel sales and other functions included in customer service such as guiding your customers while they’re trying to learn more about your product, and walk them through the decision-making and buying experience.
- Social Media and Online Communities
If you don’t have a social media page by now, it’s time you ask yourself why, as it has become an indispensable business tool that gives you online presence and a chance to connect with customers in a timely manner.
Add that to the fact that clients who engage with companies via social media purchase up to 40% more—making it a perfect sense to start putting up a Facebook or Instagram account, pronto!
Note that mere presence is not enough, and you need to ensure there’s someone actively monitoring your accounts and responding to problems or questions appropriately. Consider using tools like eGain, which is a program that allows customers to interact with companies via Twitter or Facebook, along with the email and chat options.
- Automatic Callback
Time is a finite resource and clients hate wasting it while being placed on hold over the phone for too long.
Using a program like Fonolo allows a customer service agent to call customers back to help you efficiently manage service call queues, without losing a client’s place in the line. While it doesn’t always guarantee shorter waiting time, at least a client can do something else instead of waiting on the phone.
- Help Desk System with Predictive Support
Setting up a help ticket system is another way you can quickly resolve or provide answers promptly.
The ticket tracks the issue throughout and notifies your client as the issue progresses until it’s been resolved. Predictive support goes a step further because it anticipates problems and finds ways to address it as soon as possible.
Customers who demand immediate results will be greatly impressed if you offer this as a service, will enhance your brand profile, and increase customer satisfaction.
With the great assistance provided by technology nowadays, consumers are more empowered, and companies need to stay abreast with them by having the right tools for engagement. So as long as you use these tools to meet consistently and surpass your client’s needs, your business will have a definite leg up from the competition.
Moreover, partnering with a contact center service delivery company would be easier and lets you focus more on your core business while keeping your customer service great and deliver growth. Create a partnership where you can take advantage of their expertise and help you increase customer satisfaction and engagement.
