Keeping customers happy is a top priority for businesses across the board in this highly competitive market. An unhappy customer or a customer who has been unable to get the information, resolution or help they need will almost always find another business that does exactly the same thing as yours, only with better customer service.
So, what is the secret recipe for delivering extraordinary customers service that will encourage loyalty, not to mention increase conversion rates? Here are 4 pillars of customer service strategy that can boost CSAT levels in an effective manner.
1. Overcoming Customer Objections
There is truly no way to meet customer needs if you cannot figure out what those needs are. Gaining an understanding of each customer goes far beyond a lengthy probing phone conversation. Instead, contact center agents must find a way to help customers have an effortless customer experience. Engaging frequently with customers is one way to more fully understand their needs, challenges and pain points. This is especially important at the beginning of the customer relationship before they feel any loyalty. Post-call surveys asking for customer opinions, concrete examples and based on the customer’s true feelings about their experience can be invaluable in figuring out how to overcome objections.
2. Gathering Operational Insights
Another way to enhance the customer experience is by gathering operational insights. Before technology was quite so advanced, managing contact center agents tried to listen in the background of a percentage of calls and figure out what could be done better. Today, this can be achieved with a reliable analytics program gathering information in the background of each phone call. This information can then be compiled, analyzed and provided to contact center management as actionable data points.
3. Applying Improved Soft Skills
Soft skills are frequently referred to as interpersonal skills. In a contact center, these are skills that, if used correctly, will help agents to build rapport with the customer through a personal connection. Some of these soft skills include:
- Reflective listening
- Positive communication
- Friendly assertiveness
- Self-awareness and control
- Empathy
- Contact resolution
Communicating clearly and positively with customers helps them to feel more positive about the interaction resulting in increased customer loyalty.
4. Knowing Competitive Insights
In a great customer experience, contact center agents must be able to gain the trust of each individual calling in or starting a chat. This trust must include the customer’s faith that the person helping them knows not only about the products or services their company offers, but also knows what the competition offers in the same industry. This type of competitive insight can be used to build better relationships with customers as agents are able to more easily anticipate needs and increase conversion rates.
A good customer experience is simply not enough anymore, as customers can leave a call or a chat with the simple click of a button. Instead, businesses must find ways to help customers have experiences that border on the extraordinary. Let Etech Global show you how to track down the data that will help you with each of these pillars so that your customer service can deliver superior results