Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos believes the customer is king. That belief has propelled what essentially started as an online book store into a trillion-dollar business – the first in history.
But customer service can only work well if you have the right communication tools. These tools not only make it easier for you to reach out to your clients and get data from them, but they also help to analyze and manage that data to make informed business decisions.
If you’re searching for some essential tools to improve customer service in your business, here are five that you should consider.
Web Chat Software
Website chat software has seen a surge recently, with more websites adopting this approach to online sales and support. Web chat software allows your clients to communicate with someone from your business directly from your website. In most cases, this software will present itself as a friendly chat bubble at the bottom corner of the screen.
Research shows that users enjoy using this software for customer service. This is because web chat software programs mimic popular messaging apps that most people are already using on computers and mobile phones.
Plus, this software creates a casual and instantaneous environment that most consumers and businesses find appealing.
Email Helpdesk Software
In the early stages, it’s common for a small business to use a shared inbox for several employees. However, as the business grows and sales volume increases, separating emails and assigning each to respective agents can become an arduous task. This is where email help desk software can help. This software allows customer service representatives to stagger requests so they can deal with each inquiry one at a time.
This software can extend to managing faxes as well. Email fax service from MetroFax, for instance, allows you to send internet faxes without the need for a fax machine. This can be a great addition if fax is still a core method of communication within the business.
Messaging CRM Software
In the recent past, mobile messaging apps have become increasingly popular among the general public. As such, an unofficial CRM strategy, called messaging CRM, has evolved in the business world.
Messaging CRM uses popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp, WeChat, Messenger, and Telegram to communicate with the customer to drive sales and provide support.
Messaging CRM is gearing to become as popular as email CRM. The main reason is they provide an instant method of communicating, popular with current messaging platforms used by the general public today. These apps are often checked more than a dozen times a day compared to emails, which are less likely to be checked more than once a day.
Social Media Support Software
Social media offers some of the most versatile customer service channels on the internet. However, some businesses shy away from exploring social media platforms manually, and turn to social media support software to help them.
This software allows businesses to manage multiple social platforms at the same time. This integrates all your social messages and gives your service reps an easier way to resolve issues and follow up on potential leads.
Survey Software
A popular way to get feedback from your customers is through a follow-up survey. Surveys allow you to align and adjust your offerings based on what consumers are demanding at the moment.
Customers are asked whether they are satisfied with the services performed and your current offerings. You can also get an idea of how well you’re performing by assessing customer loyalty and likelihood to refer.
The great thing about survey software is that they are practical and easy to use. Plus, some of them, such as Google forms, offer basic functionality for free.
Customer service sits at the core of your business and its performance in the market. Take some time to implement some tools to align yourself with the ever-changing consumer preferences, and to improve your competitive advantage.
