Companies attach excellent significance to meeting the expectations of customers. Nearly 95% of leaders say delivering a healthy client experience is a top strategic priority, according to Forrester, and 75% want to use client experience as a competitive benefit.
But there is a large, crowded marketplace, complete of customers who want different things through distinct channels at distinct moments. Given that, when it comes to customer service, you’d believe it’s difficult to create a sweeping generalization about what “all clients” want. Fortunately, study informs us that when setting the bar, we can look at some commonalities.
1- Customers Actually Want You to Satisfy Their Expectations
It’s complex, but it’s easy. Customer frustration arises from a discontinuity between service interaction expectations and what is actually provided. A research from the MIT Sloan Review discovered that there were two levels of client expectations: desired (what the consumer hopes to achieve) and adequate (what the consumer would find acceptable).
But there is a third level, of course: unsatisfactory, where businesses completely miss the mark. The distinction between these relative concentrations is important and is certainly reflected in the bottom line of the corporation. The key is to assess and comprehend the expectations of the client; only then can you start managing them.
Many companies have learned that “undermining and over-delivering” is often advantageous to boost the probability of exceeding client expectations. Others are proud of high expectations, knowing full well that the products can be delivered. Regardless of the strategy, managing customer satisfaction is essential for businesses.
2- Customers Want Options on How They Contact You
The significance of channel choice in customer satisfaction is cited by a wealth of latest information. In short, clients expect businesses to interact with them on their preferred channel, whether in individual, online, or on the mobile. However, the devil is here in the information. Studies indicate that preference for channels depends on the sort of communication.
For example, online self-service and email are the preferred channel for “simple” inquiries (such as “what is my bank balance?”). However, as the investigation becomes more complicated, it becomes the dominant option of channel to speak with a live officer.
3- Customers Want a Fast Response Time
Whether you’re in a store, on the phone, or online, it doesn’t matter – nobody wants to wait. The reaction times of the channels on which you provide service should therefore be sensible. Of course, what is sensible relies on your clients and their preferences on the channel. One research, for instance, demonstrates that 53% of clients on Twitter expect a company to react in less than an hour. When they have complaints, that amount jumps to 72 percent. It is often difficult to determine what the right level of service is in the call center.
4- Customers Prefer an Actual Relationship
Today, techniques such as CRM enable companies to extend customer interactions to the call center. For instance, agents can greet callers by name and have a complete history of their company interactions (purchases, transaction history, etc.), so they don’t have to repeat data every time they call.
This strategy can also apply to proactively contacting clients, such as sending electronic communications about appropriate promotions, follow-up calls to guarantee satisfaction, etc. Fostering customer interactions can considerably improve the probability of exceeding their expectations, turning them into your brand’s proponents.
5- Customers Want You to Solve Their Problems
There is a desire for a fast resolution at the root of every client investigation. It’s not necessary for a rocket scientist to understand that customers don’t want to jump through hoops in order to fix their issues and answer questions. It is important to empower your front-line officers so that they can solve client problems. Customers lose patience with your organisation with each transfer, subsequent call or email, leading in a loss of goodwill that can have a significant impact on your capacity to maintain and develop your client base.
