How to improve your digital customer service strategyIn today's customer-driven world, the role of the customer service and support team is more critical than ever. Businesses need to shift their mindset to view their customer service and support not as an expense but rather as an investment and a partner for success. Photo by Sora Shimazaki© from Pexels. Providing a positive customer experience entails more than just having helpful people on hand to assist with any issues that arise. Businesses should instead adopt a customer experience strategy that incorporates both conventional and digital elements. That being said, digital channels should not be siloed, but instead should be leveraged as critical components of an overarching customer services strategy. Traditional service alone will no longer be sufficient for serving customers as the processes are unable to anticipate and meet changing expectations. Call centre operations are being replaced by virtual ecosystems of digital tools, such as self-service portals, chatbots, and voice assistants. Companies that are able to provide relevant and agile customer service will be the ones that differentiate themselves from their competitors. Here are three essential elements of an effective digital strategy: 1. Understand current customer journeys The question we should be asking ourselves as businesses is “why do we exist?” Hopefully, the answer should have something to do with, “for the sake of our customers.” If so, ultimately, every element of customer services needs to support the customer and improve their experience. This will require a thorough understanding of how a typical customer interacts with the business. Ask the following questions:
2. Implement the necessary technology Driven by a heart of service and a more comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, access and implement the technologies needed to execute the overall strategy. Investments into these technologies should not be made in isolation or simply to keep up with the latest trends, but they should rather make sense for customers, within the context of the larger customer service strategy and business requirements.
3. Measure success Track metrics such as:
Getting started on a digital-first customer service strategy may seem difficult and resource-intensive; however, the investment and commitment put into maturing a digital customer service strategy will be well worth the benefits of optimised business efficiencies, increased agility and scalability, and ultimately enhanced customer experiences. About the authorNdagi Job Goshi is the general manager at Liferay Africa. |