Why Online Customer Service Matters in 2014 and Beyond

Wed, 28 May 2014, in Customer Service

It’s estimated that 90% of all data on the internet has been generated within the last two years. As the amount of information increases, value is reduced.

It’s expected that information management and organization will be at the forefront of companies looking to connect with their customers.

photo credit peterm7

Customers are connected and this is becoming more apparent with every passing day. When you look around you see most people attached to their cell phones – not just teenagers but everyone, and that’s where we are headed. Yet only a select few companies are paying attention to their online and social-media based customer service experiences.

Imagine your customer has a problem with your product. Being on social media, they open Facebook and your company is nowhere to be found. Instead, they see your competitor who has in-depth information about a product identical to yours. Your customer is promptly convinced to go with your competitor.

This situation is increasingly becoming the norm as social media savvy businesses are reaping the fruit of their labor. What’s remarkable is once consumers come across socially-engaged companies, it becomes a part of their customer experience with that company. This impacts overall customer expectations since they’re constantly being shifted by whoever is doing the next best thing on social media.

It seems increasingly apparent that you should either put up or get out – there’s no other way.

The cloud is the future

Today’s cloud infrastructure can serve companies for generations to come, particularly in the world of customer service and customer relationship management (CRM). The quick growth of CRM from just a small section of cloud software to over half of the overall cloud market today demonstrates how widely accepted cloud-based CRM really is.

Social CRM is part of the big picture

Social support has been placed above other channels such as email, phone and chat. The extent of integration has been switched out in favor of speed of acceptance among the general public. With social CRM closely mirroring the growth of social media sites, it’s safe to say that social CRM is here to stay for the long haul.

Internet connectivity is everywhere

It’s estimated that throughout the year new consumer goods will come with internet connectivity built in. Many appliances and cars have HD-capable monitors built into them already. It’s also predicted that with all that information, data management will be at the forefront of user requirements.

Human side of customer service won’t go away

The human side of customer service desk is the most valued aspect of support. Sure, technology has grown in strides, allowing the smallest businesses to offer professional cloud-based support. What’s remained constant is the demand to feel connected to a human being on the other end, whether it’s in the form of acknowledgement, encouragement or simple words of empathy. Adding a photo or including a video from your webcam can make it easier for your customers to relate to you.

Customer service trends from Helprace

Modern SaaS social software makes it easy for businesses to adapt to the times and start providing social customer service they’ve always wanted. For one, cloud-based architecture allows companies to scale as they grow. Third party applications can also be integrated easily, so that companies can provide their desired levels of customer service.

If you create an amazing customer service experience online, you positively drive the change in someone else’s day, exceeding their expectations. Because your customer is in a state of euphoria, they are instantly compelled to share their amazing experiences with their peers.

The best part is that there is little investment of time and money when it comes to setting yourself up to provide a complete online customer service experience. With the right software tools in your arsenal you’ll empower your team to provide a level of customer service in line with customer expectations of the near future. To learn more about Helprace customer service suite take a look at our tour.

Tags: customer service