Even in this Internet age, 40% of customers pick up the phone first when they want to resolve an issue with a company.
That’s according to a LinkedIn article citing two leading research and advisory firms – Forrester and Gartner.
Sure, that percentage is lower than the pre-Internet days, but the telephone is still an extremely important customer service and communication tool.
In fact, those same researchers found that only 20% of people will fulfill a need or solve a problem to their satisfaction when they attempt to do it via a company’s website. That means, they say, that a full 85% of customers looking for help will end up on the phone!
No company can afford to neglect a channel that so many customers use to ask questions or solve problems.
So, is it time to re-think the telephone experience YOU provide?
1) Your call center announcements need to be clear, concise and well presented. And the path that callers take – from first contact to reaching a member of your team – needs to be logical and as streamlined as possible.
2) Consider your callers on hold. The content they hear after dialing a dedicated customer service number should be much different than what they’d hear when calling to buy something from you. The music, the time between each message, even the voice might be different in those two scenarios.
3) And what about your CSRs? They should be expertly trained in not only the specifics of your business, but communication, conflict resolution and customer service. (See what could happen if they’re not here, here and here.) They also need to be keenly aware of their role in strengthening your company’s brand image – how the outside world perceives your brand.
We’re ready to talk about your total telephone experience or any single aspect of it. Email Steve Evert or call +1 800.473.9005.
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