Every company has a department that is considered a losing department, a department that must be there even though it doesn’t make any money

Most companies with a customer service department consider it a losing department, but the truth is, customer service is not just something that loses money anymore but we know customer service is more important to clients than marketing.

Customer service changes

It used to be that customer service was just there to help the angry customers who appeared from time to time. But now, customer service is more about being proactive than reactive. The new generation of customers are using social media for customer service interactions. On top of that, increasing your productivity with customer service can increase sales because you are reaching out to them directly. Before the internet, you were stuck with your locales and what you could find by walking around or word of mouth. But with the internet, there are countless places you could take your business. This means your company needs to be proactive in taking care of the customers you already have. People would much rather just shop somewhere else than even give you a chance to fix a problem.

How to be proactive

Reaching out to your customers first and continuing to do so is important but now you may be wondering how exactly can you do that? If you’re a normal business, you are probably stuck in the rut of reactive customer service, so you need to think of creative ways to reach out. Here are a few recommendations:

• Social media: Set up your social media accounts to help manage your customer service. From here, you can send out marketing messages, but it also allows you to quickly address any complaints your customers may have and post to social media. However, be mindful of your response times as most consumers expect a response within a few hours. On top of that, it is effective to communicate with the younger generation in a form they are used to. Additionally, be mindful of platform demographics and what content does better on which platform. 

• Texting: One of the most effective ways to be proactive with customers is through texting. Again, customers do better when you communicate where they are. Younger customers are used to texting their friends and family on a regular basis, why not let them text you for customer support? It will allow you to reach out to them and is a fast, easy way for them to get automated answers to their questions while feeling like they are getting individualized service.
• Website: Use your website as a tool to stay on top of customer service. It can be helpful if your website has online chats available to help a customer out. Most people won’t be willing to call in and ask for help, but if a chat pops up and asks if you need help, they will use it. As another form of quick communication that your customers are used to, it will help you keep customers happy.

Source: business2community.com/customer-experience/amplify-brand-loyalty-give-customer-service-bigger-voice-0999124