What does customer service mean?
Customer service is the efforts of a company to increase the satisfaction of (potential) customers. These efforts do not only start when problems arise or complaints are made, but much earlier, more precisely before the actual purchase of a service. In fact, informative and helpful communication between companies and their customers covers the entire buying process. Starting with the initiation and advice, through the actual purchase to post-purchase support. The customer and his concerns are always in the foreground.
Outstanding customer service that not only satisfies but even inspires, is well thought-out and sometimes starts right where customers want to be picked up. A long-term strategy is therefore essential and should not only be developed by enterprises. Because it is primarily small and medium-sized companies that can benefit from good customer service.
Why is good customer service important?
Especially in the digital world, customer service can make the decisive difference. In addition to permanent availability, customers also appreciate speed and transparency when it comes to processing their concerns. The more secure and relieved customers feel and the faster they get a solution, the more excited they are. Customer enthusiasm is also accompanied by recommendations and increases in sales. But there are even more benefits that good customer service can offer you. Read more about it below.
Word-of-mouth
Happy customers like to talk about positive experiences. These look particularly authentic and are therefore worth their weight in gold. Because even the most creative advertising doesn't have the same effect as an honest recommendation from a friend or acquaintance. But it is not only personal recommendations that are important; reviews on various platforms are also considered a source of reliable testimonials. After a successful business, customers should therefore be actively encouraged to rate and share their positive experiences.
Customers become fans
As mentioned earlier, with a good customer service strategy, customers can not only be happier, but also be delighted. When customers identify with a company, they become real fans who stand by the company in good times and even in bad times. In order to trigger enthusiasm, it is therefore necessary to build up solidarity. These can be achieved not with standardized procedures and benefits, but with a certain degree of individuality. Customers should feel that they are valuable and unique.
Up- and cross-selling
Enthusiastic customers not only like to recommend, but also buy. They expect other products and services of the same quality, which is why the company should consider a suitable up-selling and cross-selling offer. It is precisely with this offer that the individuality already described is achieved. Suitable additional services for the already purchased product increase satisfaction and sales enormously.
Positive effect: satisfied employees
Satisfied customers and a positive reputation not only have an impact on the company brand, but also on employees. On the one hand, employees prefer and easier to work with satisfied customers, especially when they can enjoy regular experiences of success through well-thought-out solutions. On the other hand, a positive word-of-mouth influences your future employees — who wouldn't want to work in a company that everyone downright raves about?
Use feedback
A company's customer service is particularly efficient when it collects essential information to improve its own performance and improve products. What would customers do differently or better? How can products or processes be adapted to help customers and employees achieve the highest possible convenience? Both customers and employees should be interviewed at regular intervals and thus make a significant contribution to a good customer service strategy.
10 tips to improve your customer service
What makes for good customer service? We will ask ourselves this question below by considering which tips and options can be used to achieve good customer service.
1st speed
Customers appreciate quick customer service. This is not only about aftersales, when problems arise and need to be resolved quickly, but also about questions that arise during the buying process. If customers feel left alone or even misunderstood, they are more likely to switch to the competition. Requests should therefore be responded to as quickly as possible. In the best case scenario, you are already prepared for possible questions that usually arise during the purchase process and thus offer your customers comprehensive solutions.
How can an AI chatbot help with this?
There is a AI chatbot can be trained in advance on various topics, in particular FAQs and typical questions, he can answer the majority of all user inquiries within a few seconds — at any time and any day.
2. Transparency
Even though many companies assume that customers are happier the less they know about problems, the opposite is actually true. Customers should know exactly what and why something isn't working or when it will work again. If this information is not shared in an understandable and transparent way, customers quickly feel insecure and left alone. It is therefore extremely important to optimize communication between your employees and customers so that the customer feels understood and receives a concrete solution.
How can an AI chatbot help with this?
A chatbot can automatically provide customers with information at any time. Especially because smart AI chatbot solutions, such as moinAI, can be easily connected to existing programs and systems, processes can be automatically mapped that ensure greater transparency. For example, a customer can use a chatbot to find out which delivery step their order is currently in.
3. Accessibility
When it comes to good customer service, accessibility plays an extremely important role. Customers can ask for support around the clock, whether via email or social media — you should therefore be available to your customers at any time, from any device.
How can an AI chatbot help with this?
An AI chatbot can act as a first, friendly point of contact between customer and employee at any time of day. It is crucial that the customer is served immediately and receives adequate feedback. An AI chatbot ensures this by automatically answering every incoming request directly or at least providing initial assistance or appropriate redirection.
4. Omni-channels
Whether by telephone, email, website or social media channels: Good customer service has never been available via as many interfaces as today. The variety of possible contact points offers countless opportunities to pick up and inspire customers. But the effort involved in communication should not be underestimated. Each channel must be adapted to the needs of customers and maintained and supported accordingly.
How can an AI chatbot help with this?
An intelligent AI bot can also be the right solution here. Support costs can be reduced and customer enthusiasm can be generated at the same time. And a chatbot is, as the name suggests, software that makes chatting possible. A chatbot therefore offers another channel that customers can use to easily communicate with your company via chat.
5. Clarity and simplicity
Contact with customers should be made as easy as possible so that their concerns can be dealt with quickly and easily. Cumbersome and excessive explanations should be avoided as far as possible. To avoid misunderstandings, clear and simple language should be used. Avoid complicated technical terms and if you need to explain a complex process, use self-explanatory sketches as much as possible. Visualizations are easier to remember and easy to explain and understand.
How can an AI chatbot help with this?
A chatbot can be customized individually depending on the company and the desired wording, so chatbot answers can be written in clear and friendly language. moinAI also offers the option to display explanatory videos, images, links and infographics in order to visually present solutions to customers at any time.
6. Be prepared for potential questions and issues during the purchase process.
To avoid being caught off guard by complex inquiries, you should be prepared for as many contingencies as possible. For this purpose, established solutions are collected and reapplied if necessary.
7. Structure the buying process and discuss it regularly with your employees.
If you are prepared and know exactly where your customer is, you can react better and quickly suggest exactly the solutions that are needed. Data about your customers should also be documented in detail so that your employees know how often you have contacted the customer, what concerns they had and which offers or solutions have been proposed. A customer management system (CMS) is best suited for this purpose. This gives you the overview you need and supports you during the process.
8. Automate communication
Many inquiries, for example about the product or the company, can be automated with an intelligent chatbot solution. But even more complex problems are solved quickly and easily. The customer feels understood because they are helped quickly and the company is reducing costly employee resources at the same time.
9. Get the right feedback, not only from customers but also from your employees.
You can obtain valuable information about your products and optimize it for your customers. But information about the process itself also leads to performance improvements. You will receive the latter information from your service staff through regular discussions and questionnaires.
10. Opt for 24/7 availability
Whether it's different time zones, divergent daily rhythms or generally too little time — people come to ask their questions at different times. What is particularly annoying: A service that is only available for a few hours or at regular times (such as 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). This is no longer up to date and does not reflect the reality of life for many people. It is better to offer a contact point that is available around the clock and every day. So that this does not have to be ensured during expensive and exhausting shift work, for example, the use of a AI chatbots ideal.
Customer service goals
What are the overall goals of the numerous customer service offerings and efforts? Depending on the area, the goals can of course differentiate. A fairly obvious goal is, for example, to provide the customer with an answer and to support him in case of problems. But it is precisely this goal that can result in further goals to be achieved:
- To underline the credibility of the company
- Strengthen customer relationships
- To inspire the customer (and thus attract recommendations, for example)
Success in customer service can be determined based on defined key figures, which are:
- Net Promoter Score
- Customer Satisfaction Score
- First Response Rate
- Customer Effort Score
Achieving these successes is a goal in customer service.
How these values can be calculated and what they say can be found in the article: Customer service: The most important tips and key figures
Conclusion: Good customer service always pays off
Contrary to general opinion, good customer service is not only responsible for customer concerns after the purchase. Rather, this starts with advice on the product or service. In the digital world, this means, among other things, constant availability, speed and transparency. In order to achieve this and offer customers a unique and rapid service, communication between consumers and companies can be automated. Regular feedback should also be obtained from both customers and employees. This allows products and processes to be constantly optimised and adapted.
Learn more about how you too can improve your customer service and take part in our free webinar. In this, you will learn how our self-learning AI can help you achieve excellent customer service and satisfied customers. Topics include automating customer inquiries using an AI chatbot and how customer satisfaction can be increased through digital and automated communication. In addition, use cases are discussed that show how well-known companies benefit from support chatbots. Sign up right away and make sure you make a suitable appointment.
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