The customer service experience your company provides can make or break a sale. Customer Service skills may come very naturally to some, while others may need a few pointers. We have compiled a list of practices that will help maintain the quality of your customer service, and enhance the experience for your customers when reaching out from online platforms.
ANSWERING THE PHONE
It’s important to answer the phone friendly and professionally. With many consumers browsing online, their first personal touchpoint with your business could very well be over the phone. It is vital to ensure they have a 5-Star First Impression.
Oftentimes, our clients will give their team a short script when answering the phone such as, “Hello, thanks for calling Adapting Social, Anjelica speaking – how may I help you today?”.
Alternatively, you can begin the call with “Good Morning or Good Afternoon”. Around the holidays, it doesn’t hurt to begin with “Happy Holidays!”
POSITIVITY
In any business, there comes a time where you experience a disgruntled customer. In these cases, staying positive is vital to pivoting their experience and mindset. As the customer may already be disgruntled, we do not want to add any negativity to their current state of mind. Avoid phrases like “I’m afraid that…” or “Unfortunately…”. And instead, find ways to rephrase responses to provide ONLY solutions to your customers.
BE THE RESOURCE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS
If you come across a prospective customer that isn’t quite ready to do business with you, but is looking for someone to guide them in the right direction, do not just turn them down. You don’t have to spend your valuable time educating them, but this is the perfect opportunity to point them in the right direction, while directly impacting your business. Have your social handles and website readily available to send to them, or recite to them. Not only are you encouraging them to follow your social pages, but the website traffic will help increase your search engine rankings!
Tip: Have an FAQ or Resource page built out to direct your customers to. You can include form submissions or a live chat on these pages to ensure that if your potential customer needs to, they can reach out to you for further support.
WHERE DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US
Asking your potential customers where they heard about your business not only helps you to collect information about effective marketing strategies, but it also can help you to provide more information. For example, if they found you on social media, they may not have navigated to your website yet where they could have explored services, testimonials or blogs. Based on their acquisition you can recommend other resources for them to view following your conversation. This helps to keep them engaged with your business, and helps you to track effective marketing efforts.
How Does Excellent Customer Service Affect Marketing
Increased Customer Loyalty
Excellent customer service leads to higher retention rates. Satisfied customers are more likely to become brand advocates, sharing their positive experiences and influencing potential customers through word-of-mouth marketing.
Enhanced Brand Reputation
A reputation for outstanding customer service can differentiate a brand in a crowded market. This competitive edge can be a focal point in marketing strategies, attracting new customers who prioritize service quality.
Higher Conversion Rates
When customers feel valued and supported, they are more likely to complete purchases. Effective customer service can reduce cart abandonment rates and increase overall sales, directly benefiting marketing performance.
Improved Customer Insights
Customer service interactions provide valuable data that can inform marketing strategies. Understanding customer pain points and preferences allows marketers to create more targeted and effective campaigns
GIVE US A FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
When speaking with new customers one tactic to grow your social media follower base organically is to ask them to give your business a follow! An easy way to fit this into your conversation is to let your customer know the type of content your posting, and which platforms can offer more information about your business. For example for Adapting Social we always ask people to give us a follow for tips and tricks on how to organically grow their business online with some motivation baked in there! You can also let your customer know that you utilize stories for up-to-date and live content & announcements.
Are you gearing up to market in 2021? Check out our 6 social media predictions to be prepared for the year ahead!
