As a customer service manager, you’ve got to be on top of your game to deliver solid results. Sometimes, that’s not always easy because there are so many demands on your time and attention.
From supervising employees, monitoring customer feedback to integrating new ways to retain existing customers, you wear a lot of hats on the job. That’s why we’ve taken a look at the customer service industry and identified changes that will have a direct impact on your performance. Read further for the top trends in the customer service industry for 2022.
Commitment to Customer Care Still Matters
Providing a personalized experience for your customers is just as important today as it was before smartphones and the internet revolutionized consumer behavior. You could go so far as to say that making customers feel like they are a priority is the lifeblood of your business. Why? Because rendering a specialized experience to customers ensures a return purchase. In fact, a repeat customer is 10 times more valuable than their first purchase. This is because their subsequent purchases from your company will far outweigh that initial purchase. With that in mind, it’s crucial to train your team to present a remarkable and highly personalized experience when dealing with customers.
Working From Home Is Here to Stay
If you’re already working with your customer service team remotely, don’t expect that trend to change much in 2022. In fact, the pandemic has launched what business analysts are now calling the “Great Resignation” – a movement in which more workers and employers are opting for remote work over in-office or in-store work environments. According to a survey by Upwork, 1 out of 4 Americans worked remotely in 2021, and that number is anticipated to rise by 87% by 2025. Forearmed with this knowledge, you can gear your supervisory, training, and disciplinary strategies to accommodate remote workers more effectively.
Mobile Use Will Continue to Be a Game Changer
As a customer service manager, you likely already know that more than 65% of shoppers use their mobile phones over desktops or physically shop at a store. That number is anticipated to rise in 2022. What’s more, smartphone use from consumers isn’t just limited to purchases. This year more than ever, shoppers are submitting reviews, reading feedback about companies and products on their phones too. Furthermore, growing demographics such as millennials are more prone to research and pay for an elite espresso machine or a new car on their mobile phone rather than settle for a cup of joe around the corner or go to a salesman at a car lot. Knowing this, you can cater to mobile users with better customer service tactics and more flexible mobile CS tools.
Adopt the Omnichannel Approach
In 2022 and beyond, integrated digital responses to customers are a necessity, not a luxury. The days of snail-mailing appreciation cards are romantic, but they are long gone. And while superior customer service during an in-person shopping encounter is still crucial, it happens less often today than in the past. Enter the age of the omnichannel. This is a term that describes a customer service strategy that reaches customers at every point of their purchasing process. In other words, connecting with customers through an omnichannel means your CS team must meet consumers on phones, tablets, computers, phones as well as brick-and-mortar stores (if applicable). While this may seem insurmountable, some third-party omnichannel providers allow you and your customer service team to more easily monitor and respond to consumers via any media they use to reach your CS representatives.
Self-Service Is the Wave of the Future
This is one of the fastest-growing trends in customer service, and it could be considered a blessing or a curse. Some customer service managers might cringe at the idea of a growing consumer demographic demanding self-service because it threatens job security. But the facts are clear. Over 70% of shoppers demand self-service technologies during their buying experience. As uncomfortable as this might sound to a customer service professional, there is a plus side to the argument. Implementing tools and resources that allow customers to easily find answers on their own gives them the shopping experience they prefer in today’s modern era. Consequently, if you cater to what your customers want, your company has better odds of seeing return business.
Preparation is Key
Staying on top of trends in the customer service industry for 2022 allows you to be prepared for what’s in store for the fiscal quarters ahead. Understandably, the more prepared you are, the more you set yourself and your CS team up for success. While some of these trends might feel overwhelming, you still have the advantage of making smart choices that will ensure a profitable year for your customer service endeavors.
