Optimal customer service is a must for companies that want a stellar reputation that keeps business flowing. In fact, according to our own research, 79% of consumers say customer service is extremely important when deciding where to shop, so delivering on consumer expectations has never been more important. Retailers need to tailor the way they interact with consumers in a way that exceeds their expectations in an effort to not only maintain their business, but also to gain customer loyalty. It’s not just about delivering on consumer expectations — it’s about exceeding their anticipated desires to drive loyalty.
Focusing on opportunities that go above and beyond, personalizing interactions and providing services that ensure a competitive advantage are imperative to surviving and thriving as a business today.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common new and existing consumer expectations, the importance of meeting these desired outcomes and how your brand can properly deliver on exceptional customer service and engagement:
What Do Customers Expect From Customer Service?
When it comes to creating the optimal customer experience, brands know how important it is to embrace technology. The digital age has made it easier than ever to connect with customers via outlets like social media, solve issues in a timely fashion, and build brand loyalty and awareness. Taking advantage of technology to address, manage and resolve traditional problems is essential for businesses that want to thrive in 2020 and beyond.
“It’s clear that the digital age has transformed what the modern day consumer expects from retailers,” Brad Birnbaum, CEO of Kustomer, explained. “The younger generation not only wants instant resolution to their problems, they also demand personalized interactions and availability across all channels. Retailers must put a customer service strategy in place, and leverage the right tools, to deliver on these expectations.”
The Modern Age of CX Messaging
How do brands prepare to stay ahead of the curve and stand out from the competition?
Get Interactive ReportAccording to data gathered from The Customer Service Situation, a 2019 customer satisfaction survey conducted by OnePoll for Kustomer, there are opportunities for brands to bounce back from a mistake, but not all consumers are willing to give businesses more than a few chances. In fact, our research shows that the average customer gives a retailer three mistakes before he or she decides to return to the business or never make a purchase with them again. This information may show that customers are willing to give brands the benefit of the doubt, but additional majority data might say otherwise — 80% of shoppers agreed they wouldn’t continue business with a retailer if they had a bad customer service experience.
So what should companies focus on when it comes to providing optimal customer service? Be attentive to quality control and making as few mistakes as possible to retain customers and gain their loyalty.
In our Customer Expectations During the Holiday Season man-on-the-street video, consumers said that if they had a bad customer service experience, they would return their product and go somewhere else. Another said she would call the bank and dispute the charge, while another customer admitted to the willingness to go elsewhere and shop outside of his budget knowing that it’ll be a worthy exchange because he’s going to get optimal customer service. This ties right back into our survey, where 59% of customers agreed they’d be willing to pay more money if it meant better customer service.
Timeliness is also a must. Our survey found that customers tend to get annoyed with customer service agents if they’re placed on hold for more than 3.5 minutes, which means representatives need to have solutions ready as soon as possible.
Consistency in great service is a major expectation for consumers. Failure to do so could result in permanently lost business — according to the survey, the average consumer admits to swearing off at least four businesses after having bad customer service experiences.
What Does It Take to Deliver Exceptional Customer Engagement?
Creating a personalized customer experience is essential for businesses to flourish in today’s fast-paced world. As covered in a previous blog The Importance of Empathy, Compassion and a Truly Human Customer Experience, simple moments of kindness in customer service, like a laugh over the phone, a smiley face emoji via chat or an e-mail that asks how the customer is doing, can facilitate a positive reputation for any brand and can be one of its greatest assets, especially today.
In another one of our man-on-the-street videos, Personalization in Customer Service, consumers shared that they expect a certain level of personalization from a customer service agent, especially when personal information is provided during the initial conversation. When you don’t have to reiterate your issues over multiple instances with an agent, the interaction between the customer and agent becomes more worthwhile.
In essence, delivering on consumer expectations is all about understanding what the consumer wants and creating personalized customer service experiences based on those needs. A mixture of automation and human interaction allows you to meet said expectations while providing quality assistance that leads customers back to your business.
For more information on personalization in customer service, download Kustomer’s how-to guide, Customer Personalization: 3 Ways to Deliver Personalized Support and Earn Lifelong Brand Loyalty or request a demo to learn more about upgrading your customer service software today.
