- By Camila Ante
Customer service is comprised of all interactions between a company and its customers.
As technology increases the opportunities for customers to connect, companies are making advances through technical processes and customer behavior studies to create more personalized, simpler and better quality customer care solutions.
From the past to the future
There's a lot to be said for personalization and customer statistics, and that's because these strategies work. For companies looking to grow, understanding customer needs is critical, as it will enable them to develop more personalized customer services.
Customer service has changed: digital media prevails over real interactions; customers have more autonomy and control; and support is more proactive than reactive.
While this may require additional time, money and resources, good quality customer service generates customer satisfaction, which maintains customer loyalty, generates positive recommendations and encourages repeat purchases.
In addition, customer satisfaction has a direct influence on the working environment of commercial organizations. If your company has a negative reputation, your best-performing staff may feel demotivated to continue working there, which could lead to more resignations and errors, as well as an increase in customer complaints.
The benefits of good customer service
There are five customer service statistics that justify prioritizing customer service-related technology in your company:
1. It's what your customers remember
Poor customer service is one of the key reasons for churn. Keeping your customers satisfied increases the likelihood that they will support the brand and not choose to go to a competitor. Also, a big plus in this regard is that customer retention costs much less than customer acquisition.
Forty percent of customers start buying from a competitor because of its excellent reputation for customer service (Zendesk). On the other hand, 82% felt that their service provider could have done something to prevent them from switching (Accenture).
2. Recommendations are a great kind of advertising that money can't buy.
When your customers have a good experience, they speak well of your company to others. However, dissatisfied and angry customers can bad-mouth your company and affect your reputation and profitability.
95% of customers share bad experiences with others, while 87% share good experiences with others (Zendesk).
3. It is a source of sustainable competitive advantage.
Because customer service is often the only contact between customers and the company, it can be a decisive factor when it comes to making a purchase. For example, two pharmacies in one location may appear very similar, especially if their prices do not differ greatly. Going the extra mile to improve customer service can be the difference-maker that makes customers prefer to return to one pharmacy over the other.
77% of companies expect to maintain or increase the size of their customer service team over the next 12 to 24 months (Deloitte). In turn, 63% expect to invest more money in customer experience (Temkin).
4. Good service is more important than price for customers
As excellent customer service becomes increasingly rare, customers are willing to pay more for it. Satisfy that desire and your customers will have no problem paying higher prices.
70% of shopping experiences are based on how customers feel they are treated (McKinsey). In turn, 86% of customers are willing to pay up to 25% more for a better experience ([RightNow] (http://www.slideshare.net/RightNow/2011-customer-experience-impact-report)+).
5. Good customer service reduces the number of problems.
All companies have problems at some point, regardless of their efforts to avoid them. While it is impossible for a business to run perfectly, you can make sure that you inform and take good care of your customers. If they know they can voice their complaints and that problems will be handled properly, they will feel more comfortable doing business with your company.
73% of consumers say that friendly customer service representatives can make them fall in love with a brand (RightNow).
Customer service can make or break a brand's reputation, which can impact staff satisfaction and the bottom line. That's why providing the right support is critical.
