If your customer support isn’t up to par, your business could take a major hit. It takes 12 positive customer experiences to make up for just one negative experience. On the other hand, 68% of consumers say they’re willing to pay more for products and services from a brand known to offer good customer service experiences. And 93% will make a repeat purchase after receiving excellent customer service.
One way to level up your customer service is by incorporating more technology. In today’s world, the options available to help support your customers are virtually endless. From multilingual chatbots to automated callback features to apps that answer FAQs, there’s something for every company — and every customer. Take a look at these ideas to improve your customer support using technology solutions.
#1. Incorporate AI
These days, artificial intelligence is a major buzzword in almost every industry. Implementing AI into your business can help you save time, cut costs, and provide your customers with a better experience. And customer service is no exception. Try one of the following ideas to begin using AI in your customer support.
Multilingual support
What languages do your customers speak? Did you know that 72% of shoppers are more likely to buy a product if it’s presented in their mother tongue? Plus:
- 40% of customers won’t buy in other languages
- 65% of customers prefer content in their native language
- 73% of people want to read product reviews in their language
Consider providing customer support in multiple languages as a more personalized form of communication. By using a multilingual chatbot, the translation can happen immediately — no need for a human translator — allowing customers to access convenient and engaging support.
Interactive voice response (IVR)
An interactive voice response (IVR) system is an automated phone system that handles incoming calls. This type of tool can comprehend a customer’s verbal responses and provide them with next steps. It’s a great self-service method for customers, and can serve as a first line of defense, answering common questions or routing more complex calls to the right person.
Intelligent virtual assistant (IVA)
An intelligent virtual assistant (IVA) works similarly to an IVR. In this case, an AI chat assistant can understand verbal commands and help customer support agents. An IVA is always available to help customers, and can actually generate personalized responses for each one.
#2. Use omnichannel support
As you’re thinking about where to add technology into your customer support strategy, don’t stop at just one solution. Instead, take an omnichannel approach, providing strong customer support across several different channels and touchpoints.
Traditional support, which focuses on a single channel (such as only phone support, or only chat support) can be limited because different customers prefer different forms of support. 90% of multiple device owners switch between their various devices each day, using an average of three devices to complete a task.
By merging all of your channels into a synchronized, seamless omnichannel approach, you can optimize your customer support service so that all customers can find the support they need, when and where they need it. (Customer retention rates increase by 90% for omnichannel over single-channel!)
#3. Rely on chatbots
A chatbot uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to answer FAQs from customers. This frees up your human customer service agents, who no longer have to be present on a live chat 24/7. Chatbots can be programmed to offer quick answers to common questions. That way, your human reps will only need to step in for more complex issues or queries.
Companies that utilize chatbot technology can reduce their average response time. 64% of customers say that 24/7 service is the best feature of chatbots. And 37% of people use a customer service bot to get a quick answer in an emergency.
#4. Create a live chat system
Chatbots are hugely helpful to both customers and employees. But they can’t do it all. That’s where a live chat system comes in when needed.
With a live chat system, customers are able to type messages to (human) customer service agents and get answers to their questions. Your company reps will use this live messaging system to get more information about the issue so they can resolve it.
73% of customers say that live chat is the most satisfactory form of customer communication with a company. What’s more, customers who use live chat spend 60% more per purchase than those who don’t — and 77% of customers actually won’t make a purchase at all if live chat support is not an option.
If your website doesn’t already have a live chat feature, you can add a chat widget or software to your website by using its HTML structure.
#5. Implement an automated callback feature
When a business has an automatic callback system, the caller can opt to receive a call back instead of waiting on hold. When the next customer service agent is available, they’ll give the customer a call. Or you can give people the option to set an appointment and receive the call at a specific time.
75% of customers think that receiving a callback is highly appealing. This is a better customer experience than twiddling your thumbs waiting on hold. And by offering the option of a callback, you demonstrate that you value your customer’s time.
#6. Offer video chat
Video chat is often a lesser-used option for customer support. But in many cases, it’s the one customers want. Live video chat for customer service has a 73% satisfaction level (email has 61%, and phone just 44%).
Video is a great way to truly connect with customers in a way that you can’t do even over the phone (think about the element of eye contact that video introduces). You can deliver a more engaging, clear, and immersive customer experience when you communicate with someone over a live video call.
Look for an integration that allows you to put a video chat option directly into your website. Then train your customer support staff on how to use body language, tone of voice, and their overall appearance to be positive and engaging during each call.
#7. Include self-serve customer support
According to Harvard Business Review, 81% of customers attempt to resolve issues on their own before contacting a live representative. This provides a feeling of independence (and satisfaction, if the customer is able to successfully fix the problem). Make sure you offer multiple ways that people can achieve a quick fix on their own — without having to reach out to you. These options might include:
- An FAQ section, wiki, or knowledge base with support articles
- Forums
- Apps
- Chatbots
Self-serve options don’t only benefit the customer. They’re also helpful for you because they free up your customer service agents and are more affordable.
Take your customer support to the next level
There are a myriad of ways you can incorporate technology into your customer support offerings. One final recommendation: Make sure you have plenty of fresh, recent (and positive) customer reviews coming in. By reading reviews, customers or prospects may be able to find the answer to their question without needing to contact you at all. Use Jabio, Sitejabber’s platform for businesses, to collect, manage, and respond to customer reviews. Click here to get started.
