eBusiness Weekly
Robert Gonye
Picking up from where we left on tips to handle customer complaints and the crucial skills for a positive experience, we start off by addressing the fundamentals of resolution and follow up.
- No first call resolution
When customers call your service team, they expect their issue to be resolved after the first call. Studies show that 67 percent of customer churn is avoided if the service request is fulfilled during the first interaction. While that doesn’t mean you should hold customers on the phone, it does mean that they should be pursuing first call resolutions.
The resolve: When your reps begin a customer interaction, they should make note of the case’s urgency. If the customer has time-sensitive needs, try to resolve the case in the first call but don’t waste time repeating steps or researching irrelevant information. If your reps don’t have the answer, they should ask politely to follow up and explain why that process will yield a faster resolution.
One way you can improve first call resolution rates is to add self-service support options to your company’s website. Tools like community forums and a knowledge base can help customers find their own solutions and avoid service calls altogether. This creates a more enjoyable and convenient service experience for your customers.
- Lack of follow-up
When you do have to follow-up on a case, customers will often have different expectations for follow-up communication. Some customers will expect an ongoing chain of updates while others will be more patient. If your reps aren’t consistently clear about response times, your customers may think you’ve forgotten about their case.
The resolve: sIf you do have to follow up on a case, your service rep should make communication expectations clear. Ask the customer if the proposed frequency works for them, and if not, establish a system that works for both your rep and the customer. Your reps should be dedicated to customer support, but customers have to give your reps space to work on the issue independently. If your reps are constantly providing updates, customers will wait longer for solutions.
If your team is having trouble keeping track of follow-up, you should consider adopting a ticketing system. Ticketing systems document incoming requests and make it easier for you to manage active service cases. And, you can integrate it with your CRM so tickets will be directly attached to customer profiles.
- New product or feature request
This one isn’t necessarily a complaint but is something that customer service teams encounter on a daily basis. If your product or service doesn’t meet all of your customers’ needs, they’ll ask if they can propose a new product or feature. While some of these are helpful, most fulfil specific use-cases that don’t apply to the bulk of our customer base.
The resolve: In these cases, you should have a self-service space where your reps can direct these requests to. These product requests are valuable, but you can’t afford to have reps spending their day listening to customer ideas. Rather create a forum where customers can post these ideas for your product development team to see. This will give your team an opportunity to comment and engage with customers who want to improve your product.
In order for the service teams to then support and resolve customer expectations, key skills need to be instilled which we will touch on as follows
(1) Patience
At its core, having patience means being able to regulate your own thoughts and emotions even in times of high stress or delay. And for folks in the customer success industry, patience is a necessary skill.
The challenge here? In a world fuelled by technology and instant gratification, patience is becoming a bit of a dying art. Both customers and those serving them are accustomed to expediting nearly everything we do, making quick decisions in the process. This, however, isn’t always the right approach.
Those who take the time to slow down and listen by approaching customer interactions with a relaxed, thoughtful demeanour, you’ll find that it’s easier to overcome customer obstacles without compromising the quality of service.
(2) Flexibility
In some cases, being process-driven is necessary. But more often than not, too much process can have an adverse effect on your customer conversations. When we put process before people, we lose site of the end goal: helping the customer achieve their desired outcome.
If you want to thrive in a customer success role, learning to embrace flexibility will help you hold your own especially when faced with “on-the-ground” situations and decisions. Rather than viewing customer success as a straight and narrow path, consider all of the ways in which you can help a customer, and choose the path that best suits their unique needs.
(3) Empathy
When a customer reaches out to your company for support or advice, they want you to help them, but they also want to feel heard in the process.
There are really simple ways to prove that you’re on their side and committed to helping them. Whether that be celebrating their successes or showing genuine concern when things aren’t going to plan. These small considerations can make a world of a difference when it comes to creating a positive experience across the board.
Often times, it helps to consciously remind yourself how you would want to be treated if you were in the customer’s shoes. In most cases, this level of mutual understanding can help to put the customer at ease and set the tone for a more productive conversation, despite any frustrations they are experiencing.
The views given herein are solely for information purposes; they are guidelines and suggestions and are not guaranteed to work in any particular way.
Robert Gonye is a Business Growth Expert and Influencer. He writes in his personal capacity. Comments and views: [email protected] twitter@robert_gonye
