Customer Service poll shows email can be a soft spot in providing excellence

Customer service remains an area where every good business understands the importance it holds and yet some very avoidable mistakes still occur. Refining your customer service processes and skills is a key component in the success of any business but are you really doing all you can with every customer interaction. As we’ve established most businesses have ‘sales’ down to a fine art but it is the after care portion of a client relationship that sometimes leads to negative impressions. Do your clients feel valued and connected to you, was the product or service as expected and did any issues or complaints get resolved to the satisfaction of the customer. Each of these questions must be answered in the positive to establish the cornerstone of excellent customer service and then the methods of communication a company uses for their customer interactions must all be functioning at the same high level.

Most businesses place a strong emphasis on providing high quality telephone customer service but according to a new consumer survey these skills don’t always transfer as effectively when the clients contact a business via email. It’s worth evaluating whether your email processes are delivering excellence in customer service also. The survey revealed that 91% of polled consumers have had interactions with a customer service department or team through the means of email. The poll reveals that consumers prefer email for convenience and yet suppliers do not always bring that added touch of quality to handling these inquiries. The poll also shows that consumers want and expect to be able to contact the business on their terms and to receive the same standard of response regardless of the chosen method, although it sounds obvious the perception is that email provides a less satisfying result for customers.

Customers anticipate that email will lead to the equivalent of a conversation addressing their needs, but often automated responses and/or slow response times from the supplier leave them feeling undervalued and then frustrated.  Customers expressed that the option to escalate an email inquiry to a live agent online or the option of telephone contact was critical when matters were not resolved. Also while automated email responses increase the efficiency for the provider the client might feel neglected or ignored, particularly if the inquiry stresses the need for urgent attention. If automation is used it is wise to ensure that the option for an ’emergency contact’ is in place for the consumer.

If you’ve accomplished gaining a client and securing a sale letting an email process lead to unhappy customers borders on neglect, on the plus side it is something that is easy to address and evaluate and then implement the changes as needed. Always remember that in the digital age a customer’s satisfaction will begin with being provided a free range of choice in how to contact you, don’t let the method they select be a gamble of any sort. I’ll provide links to the full survey when it is released online.

Miratel Solutions provide the very best in customer service for all of your inbound and outbound call centre needs. With over a decade of experience supporting some of Canada’s most prestigious non profits we guarantee that we have the solution to help your business grow. Please learn more by visiting our site.