Smart service providers are using technology to delight customers, become more efficient when serving customers, and recover customer loyalty when things do go wrong.
Here are three ways you can use technology to enhance your customer experience:
1. Make your technology easy for customers to use.
Is your website easy to navigate? At key points of interaction it helps to provide clear instructions. Do not confuse your customers as they will leave your website when they feel frustration. Social media is user friendly. Why should your website be difficult to use?
For example, one of my colleagues was exploring a website and she clicked on a link. She was then presented with this message:
She updated her software but saw no further instructions. Thus she went to her colleagues for help, and was finally able to read the document.
Don’t expect your customers to know how to use your technology. Don’t assume they will always have technical support nearby to help.
Turn all your tech touch-points into an enjoyable journey. Create links that are easy to open and provide simple and clear instructions. Make your customers feel comfortable with your technology and alleviate their anxiety.
2. Make technology easy for employees to use.
Your team cannot afford to waste time trying to get customer data while providing service. When “Just a moment, please…” turns into a long wait, customers become impatient, they lose interest, and then the conversation ends.
Make it easy for your employees to access up-to-date-information and enter data without delays.
3. Use people and technology to deliver service recovery solutions.
Many customers will share negative service experiences online…and be very vocal about it! Just one single bad review can spread rapidly across social media and damage your reputation. This is almost impossible to avoid as customer expectations keep rising.
When customers are upset by your service, use technology with a human touch to ease the pain. Provide fast and friendly telephone support. Enable easy-to-use online chat services. Reach out to angry customers on social media.
Bounce back when things do go wrong. Use people and technology to delight customers with unexpected service recovery.
Technology permeates our lives and is raising everyone’s expectations.
Smart service providers are not only using technology to support employees, but also to delight customers, and even to become more effective than ever before.
How will you use technology to serve better, recover faster, build your business, and improve your reputation?