Service is finally getting the recognition it deserves
For years, customer support was little more than a ‘repair and recovery’ function. Its goal was to deliver acceptable service at the lowest possible costs.
But today, ‘acceptable’ does not cut it anymore. Customers expect proactive and predictive service that’s tailored to their needs. In fact, Salesforce research finds that 47% of customers are willing to pay extra for better service. And 88% say that after a good service experience, they’re more likely to purchase again.
That makes service more than a cost centre – it is an opportunity to drive sales and revenue. Agents who deliver exceptional support build trust, which they can then use to upsell and cross-sell more products.
But how do you deliver these exceptional service experiences?
Break down the walls between service, sales, and marketing through a single customer view
The cornerstone of great service is connection. Not just the human connection, but the connectedness of customer experiences across touchpoints. For example, if a customer receives a sales offer via SMS, and then calls the service centre, the agent talking to them should already have the SMS details at hand. Similarly, if a customer is facing a service issue, they should not have to deal with any marketing emails till the problem is solved. This means that service, sales, and marketing teams have to be so in sync that they know exactly what’s happening with the customer in real time. With a 360-degree customer view, they can. This unified source of customer data gives everyone the insights they need at their fingertips. So, service can drive more sales, while sales and marketing can deliver better service.
Create seamless, omni-channel service experiences
Consumers use an average of eight channels to engage with companies. Some raise a service request via email, some prefer WhatsApp, and others like the convenience of a phone call. But across these channels, customers expect consistent service. They don’t want to have to repeat the same information to different representatives. That makes it essential for companies to connect all online and offline service channels on one omni-channel platform, similar to Salesforce Service Cloud. This ensures that every interaction with the customer picks up seamlessly from where the last one left off.
Cultivate trust through empathy and fast resolutions
Customers yearn to be heard, understood, and supported. They also expect service issues to be resolved fast. This kind of empathetic and quick service is possible only when you know the customer in depth. Salesforce, for example, provides a single source of truth on the customer’s preferences, behaviours, purchases, service history, and more. So, you can respond to customer needs with empathy, and resolve issues correctly the first time around.
Automation can also make a difference. When you free up agents from cumbersome administrative tasks through process automation, they have more time to focus on understanding customer needs and solving service issues more creatively.
Senior Director
Salesforce
Build brand loyalty with personalised service and a values-driven approach
To turn one-time customers into loyal brand advocates, the key is to personalise their service experiences instead of treating them just as another case number. With AI, personalisation at scale is possible. AI-powered tools like chatbots can generate tailored replies to customer requests, empower agents with next best action recommendations, and make it easy for customers to solve routine issues on their own. But AI needs to be managed ethically and in line with company values. Today, just over half of customers trust companies to use AI ethically. Service centres that find a way to close this deficit can foster life-long customer trust.
Service is finally getting the recognition it deserves. But to continue playing a visible and important role in the business, its North Star must remain the same: an unwavering focus on customer success.
