Customer service is more important now than it has ever been, especially when making contact with a company can now be done in many different ways. From customer care helplines to making a complaint on social media, the way in which businesses connect with their customers is always expanding – meaning companies have to adapt fast.
Good customer service is vital for businesses of all sizes. International brands need to be consistent in how they deal with customers, and small businesses often need to use stretched resources in order to respond to all customer queries. Inadequate customer service can cost companies their reputation, as well as lost custom, which is why it is so imperative to have systems in place.
Customer Service in the Digital Age
Thanks to technology, people now have more avenues than ever before to make contact. Social media platforms can be used to contact celebrities and politicians, people which in the past were very hard to reach. The digital age has also made it easier than ever for people to connect with local businesses and large companies – which can be a positive or negative experience for organisations.
Most brands will now have several social media profiles, which is a direct avenue to their customer service team. Whether a customer has a query about a product or a complaint to make, they can now do it in public – where eyes all over the world can see how a customer service representative responded. Customer service teams now have to be available via email, telephone, and a number of social media platforms and review websites. It’s a tough job to get right!
Customer Service and IT
Most companies have a thorough complaint system, which allows staff to log all contact with a specific customer. In order to do this, they will rely on a specific software or customer service programme. Remember that some queries or complaints will be ongoing for months or even years, while an investigation is underway.
This is why the relationship between customer service and IT systems is so important. The IT equipment has a direct impact on the level of customer service which can be given by a company. If there is a fault or staff cannot access the software, they can’t deal with customers effectively – which is even more frustrating for customers. It’s vital for organisations to have reliable IT networks and IT support just in case something goes wrong, so customer service teams can get back to work as soon as possible to keep customers happy.
Think you need some help with your IT systems? Talk to one of our team today.
