Killer Features for an Unforgettable Customer Service

Imagine this: you walk into a store to buy a camera. You are received by two tech-savvy salespersons, who walk you through each device available, give you a demo, and then let you test it.

You pick your favorite option, the tech expert sets it up for you, and you take it home.

Within a few days, you notice the camera has an angle issue, so you contact the team, get back in the store, and within just a few hours, you get a replacement.

Smooth, right?

For most customers, this smooth customer service is a dream, and for brands, it is the ultimate goal.

If you are also running a small business and want to create unforgettable customer service experiences, here is everything that you need to know.

What Is Customer Service?

Customer service is often confused with customer support. Most people think that customer service comes under post-sales services.

In reality, customer service is overall business support that is offered to the customers(existing and prospective) throughout their journey. So, it is an ongoing process that begins before a purchase, continues during the transaction, and goes beyond the sale. Xfinity customer service is an excellent example of this. The brand doesn’t just offer after-sale service, but it also offers end-to-end service, including complaint registration, bill payment, outage reporting, etc.

Traditional Vs. Digital Customer Service

Traditionally, all businesses had a physical outlet. So, customer service was all about the in-store experience of the customer. Right from the moment a customer enters the store, all the way to interacting with the staff, getting to know more about the product, exiting, and even the follow-up. Everything was considered a part of customer service.

In the digital world, most businesses are online. So, there is no one-on-one interaction. This lack of interaction leaves a lot of room for ambiguity. Some people even think that online businesses require no customer service just customer support is enough. However, in reality, the website, online presence, social media accounts everything works at the forefront of an online business.

So, for online business, customer experience starts right from the moment someone types your name to landing on your website. This is where the cycle of customer service starts. Within customer service, every part of customer interaction is calculated. The way a customer interacts with your brand, listed products, the font, colors, and even the interface of the brands. Everything counts as customer service.  

Creating the Best Customer Service for Your Brand

Now, that you know about modern customer service, it is time to look at some of the key elements of modern-day online business Customer Service.

Learning About the Customer Expectations

Business today is all about fulfilling customers’ expectations. Now customers have so many options that one bad interaction can lead to instantly switching the brand. When a brand fulfills customer expectations, it helps in building trust and helps with brand loyalty.

For instance, I have been using Uber for the last few years. During my visit to China, I came across a local cab-hailing app that has a built-in fare negotiating option. Now, every time I use Uber, I cannot help but think about the bargaining feature.

So, when you craft a customer experience through your business, make sure to step into the shoes of the customer. Explore all the competitors offering similar services or products. For instance, if you have a business app, explore all the similar apps available in the market. A stronger competitor analysis always becomes the strength of the business and eventually, it pushes the brand toward innovation.

Explore the Interests of Customers

Another key element of customer service is to understand the interests of the customers. These interests can be related to daily life, product, service, social issues, or even the problems people face in daily life.

Knowing about these pain points will not just help you address them better but will also offer you the areas where you can excel in your business.

For instance, as an e-commerce brand, amazon receives a lot of complaints about delayed parcels and standby time. The company later launched the same delivery feature helping customers to avoid this issue.  

Personalizing Conversation with Customer

After understanding the interests of your customer, it is time to personalize the conversation with the customer. In case you are running a small business, try to use AI to personalize all the basic concerns. AI will offer you the power to not just customize the tone but also ensure that your communication is flawless.

For instance, in the case of Amazon, the company has its helpline, offering instant replies related to issues. The agent asks questions, tracks the parcel according to the customer data, and offers them a personalized answer.

Uniformity across Platforms

Now that you know what to say, you also need to know what kind of platform you will be using. In the case of online customer service, there is no one-on-one interaction. This lack of personalized interaction leaves a lot of room for ambiguity.

So, it is better to pick a platform where the communication is prompt and flawless. In the case of online business, picking one dominant platform for communication is not an option. Instead, it is better to create an Omni channel experience.   

As a small brand, you can start with social media channels first and then get to email and phone calls if you have a big enough team. However, make sure that regardless of the communication channel you pick, your tone, message, and flow stay the same.

Task Checklist for Good Customer Service

• Answering questions from the customers
• Troubleshooting issues related to the product
• Suggesting suitable products
• Responding to the complaints
• Addressing issues related to brand and products
• seeking solutions for customer issues
• seeking review about the product or service
• follow up