Every business wants to have happy customers. It’s universal. Whether you’re a B2B company or a B2C brand, having happy customers is the ultimate goal. It has been proven that happy customers spend more, they are more loyal and they are more likely to recommend brands and companies they like to their peers. So, how can you make your customers happy? Simple. Cut the pain points that irritate today’s consumer. Here are the top three things that irritate consumers and how to remedy them.
Lose the Automated-sounding Responses
Notice we didn’t say lose the automated responses? Automation is essential in today’s connected world. However, informed, savvy consumers can see right through automated-sounding messages, and it’s one of the most irritating customer services habits according to polled consumers. Having common answers programmed into your help desk software, email marketing or social media can help you cut back on a lot of typing, however, these automated messages should still be personalized to the customer. Automation is the way of the future, in fact, data from IBM cites that by the year 2020, 85 percent of all customer interactions will be AI-powered, and will be handled without the assistance of a human agent. IBM reports that consumers are connecting with brands through AI-powered messaging applications to purchase airline tickets, book hotel accommodations and even receive advice when it comes to the latest fashions. A range of industries have already adopted this technology, it’s only a matter of time until the rest of the world catches up.
Cut Long Hold Times
Tick, tick, tick … precious time is passing by each second a customer is on hold. A 2015 Consumer Report found that 75 percent of survey respondents reported being highly annoyed when they could not reach someone on the phone in what they considered a reasonable amount of time. Furthermore, 57 percent of respondents reported being so irritated by mobile customer service that they ended the call before a resolution was even met.
Make sure that your customers are satisfied when they call in to your business, and be sure that the technology that you are using internally is equipped with the fastest mobile platforms to best serve your customers. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platforms enable superior connectivity in addition to allowing your devices to charge faster and last longer in between charges, meaning your team is always equipped to handle customer phone calls, no matter how long they need to stay on the line.
Quit the Unpleasant Upselling
It’s not uncommon to find upselling in a range of business models across a variety of industries. When executed correctly, it’s a win-win for your business and the consumer. But when it’s done wrong, you can turn off a customer immediately, and you risk losing their business altogether. When upselling, make the additional sell relevant to the buyer’s initial purchase. If you sell software for example, a great upsell would be premium service. Additionally, you’ll want to consider selling something that solves a problem. Let’s go back to the software example. If the consumer purchases software, it may be a good idea to upsell training for the product. Plus, by making your upsell available at a discounted price, your consumers will feel like they are getting a good deal, and will leave the transaction happy.
Happy customers make for a healthy, happy business. If you want your customers to spend more, be more loyal and recommend your company to their peers, cut the pain points like unpleasant upselling, long hold times and automated-sounding replies and apply these customer service strategies.
