Customer support has always been a crucial factor for businesses. This function has become an important differentiator between companies and key factor for customers. Moreover, it helps in profit generation ensuring that customers get the necessary assistance with any issues they have about a brand, product, or service.
Both big and small firms need reliable customer support services for enticing new business, improving retention, and increasing sales. Support does not only mean solving problems of customers. It is more of creating a long-term relationship so customer interaction provides opportunities for meaningful and valued engagement. As customer expectations continue to develop, here are recommended strategies for enterprises in strengthening customer support.
Support Agents as Partners
Customer support should not be limited to answering technical questions. Agents must also be capable of helping out in diagnosing a customer’s problem. Besides, it isn’t merely a quick diagnosis but more of facilitating a follow-up, if needed. Therefore, an agent must posses ‘soft skills’ because these are as important as technical flair. In other words, ‘human touch’ is required from support staff in solving human problems, with the help of modern technology. Support experts need to be broad-minded regarding soft skills that are more than technical abilities.
Responsiveness in Interaction
Responsiveness or empathy in customer support refers to agents understanding the situation of consumers. Despite answering hundreds of calls or chats in a week, they must remain composed and sympathetic to customers even if these people are indifferent, stressed, or hostile. It’s a matter of being patient and developing rapport to build collaboration towards a common objective.
In the delivery of outstanding customer support services, technical knowledge is not sufficient. This won’t work unless balanced with empathy, which may be somewhat awkward but essential. For instance, harassed customers normally don’t agree with what agents suggest. Hence, it is imperative for the latter to make a compelling case for these individuals to listen and understand.
Grow Customer Support KPIs and Outcomes
There are proven key performance indicators or KPIs for measuring customer support such as Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and Net Promoter Scores (NPS). However, it swill be useful to regularly assess these KPIs to find out how these can be changed or modified. As conventional support functions are integrated with business processes, companies have started adjusting how to evaluate success. This impacts ways support teams assist their clients. The number of tickets resolved in a day are not the correct indicators of success.
Supporting the Support Team
Finally, the nature of technical support calls for a level of specialty in specific products and services which can cause repetitive work over time. Again, support leaders must balance specialization with the assignment of new and different tasks to team members. Coaching is vital to keep agents abreast of new trends and practices in their industry.
PCS Connect
For companies that need customer support services, you can always call PCS Connect at 866-671-4344 during regular business hours.
PCS Connect is your one-stop global business solution for companies looking for customer service issues or seeking effective ROI solutions. Through the years, we have evolved into the leading BPO company in customer service, back-office support, lead generation, and sales.
