Imagine this scenario: Mary has had a hard day. She picks up the phone and dials into your call center, ready for an argument. But much to her surprise, she is greeted by her first name as the automated agent registers the last time she contacted the company. The agent even remembers what she called about previously and asks if the issue has been resolved.
Suddenly, Mary forgets that she was angry. And a disgruntled customer turns into a loyal brand proponent.
This type of personalized attention is crucial for customer retention and enhancing the customer experience. While it was once more common for unhappy customers to have to experience the runaround to get help, customer service has shifted and now, more than ever, consumers have the upper hand when it comes to phone interactions. In fact, 86 percent of consumers will stop doing business with a company because of a negative customer experience. Moreover, 89 percent of customers will do business with a competitor following a poor service experience. And as research shows, this number has increased an overwhelming 59 percent over the past four years.
A personalized experience can be established through caller identification, interaction history and profile data that is collected and utilized with every call. Demographic information, customer preferences and geographical location also help to contribute towards this.
At the end of the day, your organization is a brand—and the goal is to establish loyalty amongst your consumer base. Like any relationship, this is built on trust, which builds through each interaction that takes place. Right now, however, only 23 percent of customers claim that they have a relationship with a brand. That means 77 percent of consumers don’t. An agent, whether automated or human, must act as a guide that leads a customer from the beginning of an interaction to the end. The objective should be to construct brand loyalty and in turn, establish continued business with your company.
A key strategy of how your company can evolve from a “customer service” oriented approach to providing a tailored fit for each one of your customers, is essential in the transition. And “Enhancing the Customer Experience with Caller Personalization” could be a helpful guide for those looking to get started.
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