Remember when you crossed your fingers and ordered something from an online store? You knew the risks but still went ahead with the decision. Why? Did the online brand presence of the store look trustworthy with lots of followers?
Well, anybody can buy followers. What drove your decision was the reviews you found online and their ratings on other websites. Good reviews come from good customer service. For example, in the case above, you must’ve gotten valuable emails from the company irrespective of the time on the clock, and your questions were answered 24/7. It is the impact a good 24/7 customer service can have on customers.
72% of people that experienced a positive customer experience will share their interaction with more than six people—all the more reason to build a strong 24/7 customer service. If your company hasn’t started working on customer service, now is the time.
The importance of 24/7 customer service
The typical 9 to 5 workday is no longer sufficient to keep your business running; with digital transformation and globalization came the demand to operate your business around the clock. Customer service is not an option; it is a need. Furthermore, millennials want to stay up late and explore the internet, so you can’t limit your audience’s time. You should be there whenever they require you.
Besides, here are the top four reasons why you should prioritize 24/7 customer service:
A happy customer equals a happy company
There is no timeline where your customers are active; some might feel that early mornings are the best to go online shopping, some like staying up late and exploring, and some like to scroll during work hours. By providing 24/7 customer service, you can ensure that no matter when your customers show up, they have a seamless customer experience.
First impression matters; how a customer perceives you when interacting with you will have a long-lasting impression on the customer’s mind. 24/7 customer service is an excellent way to nail that first impression. Customers like to know that someone is present 24/7 to solve their minor issues and concerns while you get to onboard and service your customers round the clock. Thanks to this approach, University Living clocked growth with AM2PM Support and achieved a 30% increase in sales in just 3 months into the partnership.
Don’t follow the crowd
Despite the increased need for 24-hour customer support, some businesses still need to deliver it. They are trapped in the usual 9 to 5 due to a need for more awareness and resources. On the other hand, customers notice how they are treated and whether the company’s customer support is available around the clock. By offering good 24/7 customer service, you can escape the rat race and leave a lasting impact on the customer’s mind.
Say you sell laptops with 24/7 customer service; however, your opponent does not. Customers will choose to purchase from you because they want someone to be available in the middle of the night if they face a technical problem, providing you an advantage over your competition.
Builds an impeccable reputation
You can’t control what reviews a customer writes on Google, which determines the purchase decisions of other customers. However, 94% of customers are likely to purchase from a business if they read good reviews online. Customers’ feelings about you are essential because they will show in the reviews they write about your company.
A FAQ section on your website will not address every customer’s problem. Customers also hate having to wait for your emails. Excellent 24/7 customer service will show your customers that you are there for them by offering immediate support, earning you a 5-star rating and an outstanding brand reputation.
Your sales is not bound by the clock
It’s easier for a company to survive with profitability. Your customer base determines your market survival and growth. Every time a customer sees your website or enters your store, you have an opportunity to make a sale. The initial step should be to listen to what the customer says and then assist them with your services. But what comes next? You can try upselling to increase your sales. However, you can only keep a customer in your shop for a while. Moreover, once they leave your shop, you lose all the time you had their attention.
24/7 customer service helps you make up for that time and make money at any time of the day. In addition, your customers can contact you anytime for sales-related inquiries and service or support, improving your overall business potential.
Different types of customer service
Brick and mortar
Brick-and-mortar stores will always live because many want to touch and feel items before purchasing them. The average “salesperson” encompasses customer service in physical stores. As the world digitally develops, store owners must also transform and shift online since that is where the customers are turning. According to the figures, companies are anticipated to invest $641 billion in customer experience technologies by 2022.
It’s easier to find someone with an email address, which makes email an excellent platform to connect with customers. With an appropriate email management platform, you can easily manage your emails and provide value to your customers.
Chat
Which platform would you choose to connect with a friend? Whatsapp or email? The majority will reply with WhatsApp. When your customers interact with you, they want to feel like they are talking to a friend. According to statistics, over 85% of firms are expected to use live chat support in their business.
If you are looking for the best countries to outsource to for a live chat. Countries like in India live chat support is offered by many but only a few deliver top-notch quality like AM2PM support so choose wisely.
Self Service
There’s no doubt that support teams know a lot about their customer’s concerns, but allowing customers to help themselves by offering them a collective knowledge guide that covers all they need from head to toe. Customers also favor self-service, which eliminates interaction friction, resulting in a smoother and more efficient transaction.
Calls
Everything needs to be at par with the call support. Do you have a problem? A quick call with the customer service agent, and it will be resolved. Human interaction and human intelligence will always stay superior to all other modes of facilitating your customers. Complex queries will always need human support, and effectively provide that to your customers.
Challenges of 24×7 customer service
Implementing efficient 24/7 customer support is challenging; it has several challenges. For instance, you have to hire additional teams and make them work in shifts to be available round the clock, increasing the staffing costs.
You must establish the necessary infrastructure like offices, computers, and furniture and install the appropriate technologies to enable the customer support team to execute their work efficiently.
For global customers, you must establish a management system that deals with international purchases and handles their complaints according to their time zone. You can also hire a remote team for different time zones, which can complicate your tax processes and be expensive due to differences in currency value.
Tips for Improving Customer Service
Exceed Customer’s Expectations
When you exceed your customers’ expectations, they are more likely to recommend your products and services to others. It is imperative because most customers now expect an excellent experience online purchasing products or services.
Listen And Understand Your Customer
Knowing what your customers want, how they want it, and why is essential to improve customer service. The best way to do this is through listening and observation. Listening is the most critical aspect of customer service because it allows you to see what works for your customers and what doesn’t.
If you need to know who you are speaking with, it can be hard to provide them with the correct information or solution they need at the right time. It is especially true if you have multiple customers who use your service (i.e., a business). Each individual has different needs and wants, so understanding those differences is essential when providing effective customer service.
Customer Feedback Will Go A Long Way.
87% of people now search online for products. Feedback from your customers is invaluable for improving your business performance in sales, marketing, and customer engagement. If people are happy with their experiences, they are more likely to recommend your business leading to more sales.
Personalize Your Offerings
Customers appreciate personalized attention as much as they understand quality products or services. Personalization helps you connect with customers and makes them feel valued as individuals rather than just numbers in a database or paper somewhere.
Provide 24/7 Customer Service With AM2PM Support
By now, you must’ve realized that 24/7 customer service is essential for climbing the success ladder. You can build an entire customer support department from scratch by investing money and resources or outsource customer support services to expert firms like AM2PM. With our help, you can increase your business’s revenue and profitability by offering 24×7 customer service support.
We have helped many businesses achieve their goals by providing affordable, high-quality call center services that have helped them increase their revenues and profits. We have dedicated professionals who are well equipped to handle every aspect of customer service, like providing 24×7 customer service support.
Why wait?