Consumers are the true leaders of any customer-centric industry. They decide what works best, and where industries need to go next. They have the power to demand what they want – and get it. In a vastly competitive arena, businesses must jump on the train or get left behind, so to speak.
This is especially true when talking about customer service. Convenience, ease and utility are among the most importance aspects to consumers. Failure to provide these very basic principles will result in consumers taking their business elsewhere – and as we all know, customer retention is one of the most vital components to operating a profitable enterprise.
Outsourcing companies have been in the customer service game for a long time. They are versed in the most effective tactics when it comes to customer retention and offering useful and efficient assistance to all callers. So why is it that some companies are still falling short when it comes to providing their customers with a full and easily accessible team of real people to manage incoming client calls? It’s safe to say that there is a lack of information surrounding the importance of excellent customer care, fluid communication and utilizing outsourcing companies to fill the customer service gap.
Automation Is Not Always Appealing
Have you ever called a customer support line only to waste hours of your day either stuck on hold, waiting to speak to an agent, or trapped in an automated customer support system that goes nowhere? Many fall victim to customer support automation frustration, and end up with none of their concerns addressed or questions answered.
The vast majority of consumers would agree that speaking to a real person is more effective, efficient and far less stressful than dealing with an automated service. This is because these services have not been perfected and often fail to pick up on natural human phrasing or understand the needs of the customer. This results in deep dissatisfaction and disinclination to deal with said business any longer. Often, automation can deter customers from continuing to support a brand via reviews or even purchases. This can be extremely detrimental to the overall success of a business in the long term, and further perpetuate the customer service stereotype of being ineffective, unhelpful and difficult to navigate.
Although there are advantages to using automated customer service, having a larger team to handle customer queries is always preferable and more complimentary to your brand’s reputation and profit margins.
How Do Real Customer Service Agents and Outsourcing Companies Outperform Automation?
Customer support agents have the ability to pick up on nuances that a robot simply cannot. When you have the advantage of real human interaction, there are things an automated service can’t compete with. For example, when speaking into an automated service, customers are commonly cut off and find themselves backtracked by the accidental breaks in communication resulting from being cut off, or cutting off the automated agent in an attempt to get back on track. This is vexing and wastes so much time that could be spent remedying the problem or answering the question outright. Let’s face it, time is a valuable commodity to everyone.
For more on automated customer service versus real agents and the role outsourcing plays, head to part two of our blog…