Delivering superb customer service is cardinal when one is aiming to transcend competitors by a greater margin. In a survey by Gladly, 54% of customers make their purchase decisions based on a company’s customer service, while 19% of them deem a brand as their absolute favorite because of customer service.
No wonder most companies scramble to deliver a stellar customer experience. However, the trouble usually arises at peak times such as a grand sale or the holiday season. Things begin to fall apart; your regular employees, who you always applauded for their efficient and effective work ethic are on the verge of a breakdown and suddenly more people are putting up reviews on social media, but sadly negative ones.
It’s not easy to deliver an experience as fantastic as Spectrum’s TV customer service, but it’s not impossible. Here are a few tips that will help you pull through spectacularly during peak times:
- Hold on to your composure
If your employee begins to break down in sweat when faced with an angry customer, things are going to take an even chaotic turn. It’s important that you tell your staff to remain calm during such instances and assure them that they aren’t going to be held accountable when they are giving their absolute best.
Instruct them over what to say in a particular situation and refrain from expressing their annoyance over the most choleric of customers as even the tiniest bit of negative impression can add fuel to the fire via an angry word-of-mouth over the internet.
- Amp up your response speed
How fast you respond to an issue can have a world of difference between crisis and a minor glitch. Whether it’s a minor question or a complaint, the sooner resolved the better. During instances of unavailability of an agent, make sure your customer is kept updated and redirected to a backup agent as soon as possible.
- Train Your Staff For All Eventualities
For your staff to work like a well-oiled machine even during the most strenuous of times, their training needs to be top-notch. Get your training manual designed by people who have the most knowledge of your product and services, have a considerable customer service experience in your company, along with an outsider with innovative ideas. Give your input as well since you will inculcate the vision of your business in your staff’s minds. Make this a collective effort for the best results.
During the training sessions come up with all sorts of worst-case scenarios and the standard operating procedure that needs to be followed.
- Without technology, you’ll go extinct
Sure, customer service without a human element can put off your customers from the technology’s clinical approach. Making use of technology doesn’t mean that you have to do away with human staff. In fact, a fusion of technology and human in customer service can take your business to places.
Your human staff cannot be available 24/7 to cater to your customers and may fall short during peak times. A virtual assistant or a chatbot can hold the fort in the meantime and redirect a customer to the most appropriate staff member available at the moment or even to someone working remotely.
- Multi-Channel Communication
If the only way to communicate with your business is via a phone call, you’re driving away your customers. Things get problematic during peak times when one channel is overly crowded. Moreover, some of your customers simply don’t prefer phone calls. So make sure you offer multiple ways to your customer to contact you i.e. via online chat, email, etc.
Moreover, let your customers know that they have different options available to them.
Wrapping Up
Peak times such as the holiday season are when your business makes the most sales, and these entire sales hinge on streamlined customer service. So make sure you dedicate your energies in grooming your customer service team, and you shall reap the rewards of your fruit.