4 Simple Ways to Make your Customer Service Digital

Technology has changed the way we connect with each other. Similarly, businesses and customers now have a myriad of ways through which they can interact, this has changed customer experience for the better. Customers are well aware of your competition and what it does and are not afraid to try out new methods of communication with businesses. Companies which use digital technologies to constantly reach out to their customers fare better than the ones which stick to only old-school communication methods.

‘Telephonophobia’ is an actual term prescribed to people who have problems taking phone calls from businesses. This, along with other studies has revealed that more and more customers prefer using apps, social media and chat to communicate with businesses. Making customer service digital is the first step for a business to create a customer support system that it can rely on, and engage with its customers for better brand loyalty and reputation.

Here are 4 ways businesses can digitize their customer service.

Make Customer Service Mobile

Understanding how the use of mobile phones has reshaped our lives is key to connecting with customers. We use mobile phones not only to constantly stay in touch with people we know, but also with the businesses we deal with. We check our bank accounts, pay for items that we buy online after looking at e-commerce websites, share our feedback, and give reviews about products and services.

Businesses which have mobile applications stand a better chance at providing better customer service than businesses which don’t. Research shows that the number of mobile applications downloaded so far in the year 2016 is more than 102 million, and this number is expected to grow to more than 268 million in 2017. Mobile applications also make a great marketing platform for businesses. Therefore, it is important for businesses to invest in creating tools through which customers can be engaged on mobile.

Connecting through Social Media Networks

Using Social Networks is a great way of communicating with customers and allowing them to not only participate in contests and campaigns, it is also an effective method to provide customer service. Social Media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat, and YouTube are some of the most popular and widely used in the world today. The burgeoning amount of users for these networks enables businesses to reach out to a large audience and deliver key messages. People can participate in campaigns on Facebook and win prizes, tweet complaints directly to businesses on Twitter, and help businesses better design their products through Instagram. It is now becoming common for customers to complain and seek support on social media.

Invite Customers through your Website

A great website speaks volumes about a business and shows that it considers it to be an important aspect of how the business represents itself online. For a business, the website is the core of its digital presence, the place where its stakeholders can get more information, contact company representatives, and see if the business offers the product or services they want. Research shows that businesses which still do not have a website, have a significantly greater chance of being ignored by customers who opt for companies which have a greater online presence. Similarly, adding proactive live chat to your business website will help you provide better customer service.

Staying in Touch with Email

Organizations today rely on emails to communicate with their stakeholders. Companies use emails to reach their customers through aesthetically designed emails and enabling them to provide feedback on products and services. Emails are also fundamental for marketing campaigns, which helps businesses gather important data on their current as well as potential customers.