Key points:
- Lately, keeping the customers above all is the most common belief for most enterprises, but merely in theory.
- In reality, when we talk great customer experiences, customers' belief about the services businesses offer is of utmost importance.
- AI-based service desks shed light on the entire customer journey which helps businesses delight customers.
What defines good customer service? Today, every company knows, at least in theory, that "customer first" is the most important credo in customer service. Companies should offer the best possible customer experience and a seamless customer journey.
So much about the theory. But how do you realize a service tailored to the customer’s needs? If you are serious about answering this question and overcoming the challenges on the path to the solution, there’s just one way. You need to start thinking from your customers’ perspective consistently. Find out as much as you can about your customers.
What makes your customers stick?
What do your customers think about your service? What are their specific requirements from your company? Where do they get stuck in the digital dead-end? Where could you do better? If you're going to deliver truly excellent service, you’ve got to know who you are dealing with.
According to a study by HubSpot, surveying 1025 customer service experts in the US, Great Britain, Canada and Australia, three customer attributes are particularly critical nowadays:
1. Customers are more communicative
In the experience of 89% of the surveyed customer service experts, customers communicate their positive as well as their negative experiences more than ever. As a consequence, digitalization has not only given individuals more ways to communicate than ever but they are also heard much quicker in social media.
2. Customers have ever growing expectations
88% of the surveyed customer service experts believe that their customers have much higher expectations now than in the past. For example, customers expect quicker turnaround, better responses and personalized feedback.
3. Customers are much better informed
76% of the surveyed customer service experts say that customers know more and are more informed than ever before. Hence, they have much more control over processes about their matters.
Impossible without AI technology
These survey outcomes confirm how important the "customer first" principle is in the effort to create great customer experiences. Personal and individualized customer service is essential. Customers want to be treated as humans. If you — like so many organizations — rely on chatbots, you are not living up to that promise. In times of real-time responses, on the other hand, one thing is evident: This is impossible without the support of intelligent technology.
Big data, big picture "Customer first" — sadly, only in theory
So how does this work in real life? How do companies respond to the "customer first" premise? According to HubSpot’s insights, unfortunately, they do so quite tentatively. Companies’ message is very clearly "customer first." However, only about half of the participating companies actually jump into action. One indicator of lacking readiness to truly get to know one’s customers: Only 58% of the companies surveyed by HubSpot analyze their customer data.
And customers do surely notice the difference: According to HubSpot, only 12% believe their issue is handled with priority or according to their individual needs. In times of "customer first," that is quite a poor result. Particularly considering that it has never been easier to learn more about your customers’ wishes, needs and disappointments.
Getting smart with AI tools
Today, virtually any service-desk software comes with integrated intelligent analytics and reporting tools that enable you to shed light on the entire customer life cycle. Integrated in an application they are typically very easy to operate and absolutely user friendly. Here, a few examples of how these tools can help you to get to know your customers:
Intelligent analytics and reporting tools ...
- generate relevant customer statistics
- assess customers’ communication behavior
- from that draw relevant conclusions about how happy your customers are
- indicate how and on what channels customers communicate with companies
- inform in real time when your customers’ mood suddenly changes.
So there is no reason why "customer first“ should remain merely a theory. The first step to implementation is easier than you may think. Download this free e-book on "Artificial Intelligence is shifting Customer(CX) paradigm" which demonstrates how to make truly successful customer experience a reality.