Definition: What is customer support?
Customer support means the various measures and services that a company offers to help customers solve technical questions, problems, and concerns related to its products or services.
Customer support covers a wide range of activities, ranging from product installation, troubleshooting to maintenance, optimization, and updating. Customer support teams have a deep understanding of the products. They use their expertise to guide customers through technical challenges and help them realize the full potential of their purchased products.
Meaning: Why is customer support important?
Customer support is at the heart of every successful customer relationship and has become a key pillar of corporate success. Companies that invest in customer support show that it is important to them to understand the individual concerns of their customers and to respond effectively. At a time when customers expect both high-quality products and first-class support, customer support is becoming the linchpin for creating positive brand experiences.
Why exactly is customer support important? Here are three reasons:
A and O for customer satisfaction
Ideally, customers won't even have problems with the product or service you've purchased. But if it doesn't work as intended, for example, the disappointment is great. And when there is no prospect of help from the company, the dissatisfaction is complete. However, when customers find quick, helpful and friendly support in such cases, their satisfaction with the brand increases — which also pays off positively on their loyalty in the long term.
You can rely on this company
In addition, customer support helps build buyers' trust in the brand. When companies are able to solve technical problems quickly and competently, customers feel supported and protected. Let's take the banking industry as an example: Customer support plays a central role for many people, especially when choosing a bank. 89 percent of participants in a Deloitte study stated that customer support is very important or rather important to them when they are looking for a new bank. Knowing that in case of doubt, you will receive support around the clock or that action will be taken immediately in the event of unauthorized transactions provides security and creates trust.
Bad support eats away at the image
Consumers can now easily share their experiences on social media, whether positive or negative. A company that provides exemplary customer support can benefit from positive reviews and word of mouth. In contrast, a lack of good support can result in public complaints that can affect the company's image.
In other words, the effect of customer support goes far beyond simply solving technical problems. It shapes the way customers perceive a brand and can make the difference between a one-time transaction and a long-lasting relationship. In a competitive world, customer support represents a strategic investment that helps companies build a loyal customer base and ensure long-term success.
How do customer support and customer service differ from each other?
Although the terms customer support and customer service Often used interchangeably, there are differences between them:
- Customer service includes all interactions with customers aimed at keeping them engaged with the company and providing them with a holistic experience. This includes advice, product presentations, checkout, and after-sales service.
- Customer support, on the other hand, focuses specifically on technical aspects and provides assistance with questions, problems, or concerns regarding the use, maintenance, or troubleshooting of products.
While customer service accompanies the entire customer journey from the first contact, customer support is particularly important when technical expertise is required to offer the best possible solution. A company that effectively integrates customer service and support creates a seamless customer experience — the royal route of customer orientation.
By the way, AI can also help companies achieve success in customer service. Find out how in this article.
Customer Support Objectives
Good customer support has various goals, including:
- Efficient problem solving: Customer support strives to solve customer technical problems and challenges efficiently and satisfactorily. Quick response times and competent support are of crucial importance.
- Increase in customer satisfaction: As we've just learned, a primary goal of customer support is to satisfy customers with outstanding support. That pays for the entire Customer Experience one.
- Continuous improvement: Another goal is to use customer feedback to constantly optimize products, services and support processes. Customer feedback in support conversations can provide valuable insights and help identify weaknesses and develop better solutions.
- Conflict resolution: Customer support is also aimed at resolving customer conflicts. With support teams emphatically on grievances and react to negative experiences, they can help win back customers and restore trust.
- Positive brand perception: Effective customer support can help improve the company's image as customer-oriented and committed to strengthening. This can be the decisive point when deciding for the company and against a competitor.
7 tips for ideal customer support
You want to establish customer support that not only meets customer expectations, but also creates positive brand experiences and long-term customer loyalty promotes? Our seven tips will help you with that:
- Your customer support agents should use the Know products or services very wellso that they can answer customer questions in a well-founded and precise way. Customers want to be able to trust that they are in good hands.
- Clear and understandable communication is the key to successful customer support. Buyers should be able to easily understand the information they receive from support. Avoid technical jargon and use friendly, accessible language.
- Show compassion and empathy to the concerns of users. They want to feel understood and valued. Emphatic contact can help alleviate negative emotions and positively influence the customer experience.
- Customers expect quick answers. Therefore, process inquiries and concerns as quickly as possible. A prompt response shows appreciation for the customer's time and signals that their concern is important.
- Don't just offer solutions to current problems, think too proactively After how you future difficulties be able to avoid.
- Provide customer support via various channels available, such as email, chat, phone, and social media. Customers have different preferences for how they want to get in touch, and a multi-faceted approach allows them to choose the most convenient channel for them.
- Hold that knowledge Your customer support team is always on latest status. Technology and products are constantly evolving and employees should have the latest information and tools to work effectively.
Miele case study
One example of top customer support is Miele. The household appliance manufacturer has 2023 in Service ranking by ServiceValue and WirtschaftsWoche significantly increased. The company focuses on self-service and offers almost 100 video tutorials on its website and YouTube — some with just under half a million views. This reduces support calls and significantly reduces waiting times for customers. Miele has implemented a 20-second rule for the hotline: 80 percent of calls should be answered within this time. A 100-person call center team ensures that callers are quickly forwarded to competent contacts. Miele also uses chatbots.
How chatbots help with customer support
In the era of advancing automation and artificial intelligence, lift chatbots taking customer support to a new level. The virtual assistants offer a quick and efficient way to answer customer questions and provide assistance. With their ability to be available 24/7, chatbots can respond immediately to inquiries and support customers in ways that human workers alone could not do. Here are three specific use cases of how chatbots support customer support:
%2520(1).png)
Instant answers to frequently asked questions: Chatbots are particularly effective at answering frequently asked questions. For example, chatbots could provide customers with recommendations as to which product they should choose for their requirements, or where they can find certain settings on a smartphone or laptop, for example. By providing this information instantly, chatbots minimize customer time and allow human employees to address more complex inquiries.
Diagnosing and resolving errors: A company that offers software or technical products can use chatbots to help customers diagnose and fix technical issues. Users can share their error messages with the chatbot, and the chatbot can use the information to suggest possible solutions or troubleshooting steps. For example, a printer manufacturer could integrate a chatbot that helps customers solve printer problems, such as connectivity issues or paper jams.
Product installation and configuration: Companies that offer complex products that require special installation and configuration can use chatbots to guide customers through the installation process. The chatbot can provide step-by-step instructions, answer questions about required settings and ensure that the customer can successfully start using the product. An example could be a company that sells smart home devices and uses a chatbot to help customers set up smart thermostats or security systems.
Overall, chatbots help make customer support more efficient and accessible. They offer immediate help, relieve human employees of repetitive tasks and enable companies to use their resources in a more targeted manner.
What other support benefits do chatbots offer? You'll find out in this article.
conclusion
Customer support has evolved from a simple service approach to a key element for long-term customer loyalty is decisive and has a direct influence on the success of a company. Through personalized support, innovative technologies such as chatbots, and the provision of world-class solutions, customer support will further strengthen the relationship between companies and customers.
Practical insight: AI chatbot for fast and excellent customer support at Fressnapf
Find out in the Case study, how Fressnapf integrated an AI chatbot into customer communication within just a few weeks and thus provided important support and high-quality customer support answers at the launch of the Fressnapf tracker.
