Believe it or not, we are now passing yet another holiday. Shocking-I know. 2010 is just flying past us in dizzy whirl. Nonetheless, Valentine’s Day has just gone by. There are many individuals who think it is simply a day set aside by Hallmark so that they can sell more cards, but then again, there are those who view it with the spirit in which it was meant-love. Usually, tokens of affection (roses, chocolates, diamonds, laptop computers…) are exchanged, and of course the day would not be complete without a romantic dinner; which is all well and good, but the trick is to keep giving those little tokens of affection throughout the year.
Let the loved one know you care the other 364 days of the year. Businesses can learn much from this thought process. The best relationships-whether they are friendships, romance, or business-always stay healthier and survive longer when they follow that rule. The best way to do that is through customer service solutions…but what should be included in customer service solutions?
First of all, put the power back into the hands of the customers with a knowledgebase on your website. People have busy and extraordinarily hectic schedules. They don’t have time during the day to call in to the help desk and wait an hour to ask just one question. With a knowledgebase, they can search through past solutions, FAQs, downloads, and forums. Oh, speaking of forums, you totally need to have one on your website.
Forums are a huge asset for not only customers, but for your business in general. In forums, customers can talk to each other and help each other solve their issues without them ever having to pick up a phone to call the help desk and they can do it on their own time, day or night. A forum is also the perfect avenue for getting customer feedback. More often than not, customers won’t leave comments in a company sanctioned comment box, but they will talk to each other openly and without hesitation. If you want to take a litmus test of how your company is doing in the eyes of the customers, look at the forum.
You also need to have a Live Chat link. Sometimes, customers just need to communicate with an agent. Not every problem can be solved through self-service centers, and phone calls are limiting. With phone calls, a company agent can only take care of one customer at a time. With Live Chat on the other hand, an agent can work with multiple clients and thus cut the customers’ wait time dramatically while raising productivity and lowering overhead costs. Everybody wins.
There are a number of other customer service solutions besides knowledgebases, forums, and Live Chat. If you are curious about those options, take a look at PhaseWare’s assortment of options. We can help you share the love with your customers.