Customer Service and Support in Web Space
MK225
By Sarah DeBeer
With the web being a great place to do your shopping, why is the customer service getting worse with new technology instead of getting better? Let’s look closer into why it is important to satisfy our customers. Loyalty depends on the customer’s degree of satisfaction and trust. The lack of satisfied customers is costing businesses time and money. If the customer is not satisfied with a purchase or service will they come back to the business? 40 percent of dissatisfied customers do not go back to the business again. In the United States, annual $243 billion dollars are lost through poor service. Business need to take a look at the money lost from poor service and spend more on improvements and training. Business need to spend the same amount of money on customer service as they do on marketing a product or service.
Every business should have a mission statement which should include expectations of customer service. Customers want to be treated with dignity, an explanation and their problem fixed in a timely manner, most of which don’t cost a thing for the business to do. Customers prefer to speak with a representative face to face over websites, emails, or social media. Elements that customers are hoping to find when dealing with a customer service representative are resolution of the problem, knowledge of the product or service by the representative, attentiveness, speed and human interaction.
The evolution of customer service has steamed from live customer service by phone or call centers to Web customer service with live and automated assistance and the newest anticipatory customer service which is automation based and email. The cost of these channels can vary from $9.00 to less than a $1.00. The most expense channel is the live customer service by phone but this is still the channel most people prefer to use and see the most effective results. Marketers need to weigh the cost vs. service in pleasing a customer.
The web has some good features to enhance interaction at a less costly rate. Self service, virtual agents and shipment status are tools marketers can use to keep the connection by the web with their customers. Email is not the most effective channel if you are dealing with time sensitive issues and customers are not willing to use this channel over direct services like face to face to phone calls. There is still the problem of technology failing or the technology to be to over whelming for the customer to understand or follow.
Web sites are great for information about new products or services but you don’t see a lot of web pages with phone contacts on the main page for customers to easily find. A lot of times you have to click to another page and you will then be connected to an email option. Business need to also use their web site to promote their mission to serve their customers.
How can a business in today’s technology get a grip on Customer service?
• Provide service from every department you have in your business, not a general customer service area where the representive may not know about every product or service.
• Time and effort is a big factor in quality customer service for the long term
• Your business needs to create a culture of serving your customers with the expectations of your business
• Select a channel or channels that your business thinks will best fit your customer needs
Strategic Customer Care has three stages
1. Learning about your customers
2. Segment the customer base
3. Incorporate technology in to your customer care with the option of the old fashion phone call and what you do for one customer many not be what you can do for the next
In order for businesses to keep their customer service cost effective, they must incorporate technology and the right one for their customer base. Offering customer service expectations to your employees and expecting them to follow those expectations is a good way to help boost your businesses customer service without any cost to the business. Know your customers needs and want is a big part of finding the right methods in how to serve those customers. Every customer is different and wanting to find the best way to serve them is the first step in creating a good customer service.
Internet Marketing: Integrating online and offline strategies Roberts and Zahay
3rd Edition pages 348-370
Seto-Pamies Dolors Total Quality Management and Business Excellence December 2012
Globe University Library
Enright, Allison January 23, 2012 Top Retailers improve their Service Skills
http://www.internetretailer.som/moblie/2013/01/23/top-retailers-improve-their-service-skills
Customer Service and Support in Web Space 