In today’s business landscape, many companies tend to be business-centric and focus on their needs rather than prioritizing customer satisfaction. This customer-centricity deficit often manifests itself in frustrating customer service experiences that leave customers feeling unheard and dissatisfied.
Recently, I had some intermittent technical issues with my website. I was unsure if the issue was related to my hosting company, website security solution, internet service provider (ISP), router hardware or configuration, firewall software, or anti-malware software. Needless to say, I spent many frustrating days on the phone and on my PC, navigating each company’s support options.
Business-Centric Customer Service
The following is a list of things I experienced while attempting to get in touch with a customer service agent who could help me. Each one made me crazy and unwilling to ever recommend their company to anyone I cared about. How many of the following examples of poor customer support services have you experienced?
One company provided a phone menu with dozens of nested options that caused me to waste several minutes listening to announcements before letting me make a series of selections until I was finally allowed to choose to speak to a customer service agent. Making matters worse was the fact that I had to call this company about a half dozen times, forcing me to go through the entire phone menu series several times.
My hosting company always had the message saying they were experiencing a higher-than-normal call volume no matter what day or time I called them. Waiting times sometimes exceeded 45 minutes. The recorded message was also grammatically incorrect, which only made matters worse after hearing it over and over again on every call. I think I made over 20 calls to them until we finally resolved the problem.
Many of these companies outsourced their customer service to non-American call center representatives that, for me at least, are particularly difficult to understand given their heavy accents. In a few cases, I actually had to ask for a different agent or I agreed to hang up and call back just to get another representative I could understand better.
My ISP forced me to use their automated chatbots before they would route me to a live chat agent just to get their customer support number so I could explain my issue. To make matters worse, their user interface (UI) was so bad I chose an incorrect option several times in my quest to find the correct path that just got me to a live chat agent. Moreover, several paths simply got me stuck in an endless loop I could not get out of, forcing me to start over.
Several of the companies I called used a voice bot that asked me for either my phone number or account number so they could look up my account. In some cases, the bot never recognized my account or phone number. And if they did, after the software transferred me to a live phone representative, the agent would ask me again for my phone or account number.
After finally getting to a customer service representative, on more than one occasion, the connection was so bad I couldn’t communicate with the representative. In several of these cases, I was disconnected after spending quite some time describing my issue, forcing me to call back and enter the queue again and go over the same information again with a new customer service representative.
Almost every business had really annoying on-hold music punctuated every few minutes with a voice that said, “Your call is very important to us. Please continue to hold.” Really? If I was that important, at least allow me to enter my number and have a customer service representative call me back when my place in the queue was reached.
Perhaps even worse than bad on-hold music is the absence of on-hold music, which gives you no indication you are on hold. In more than one case, I waited for almost an hour without knowing if I was on hold or had been placed into some type of black hole.
Why You Need Customer-Centric Customer Service
Customer service plays a pivotal role in shaping a brand’s reputation and success. Below are five reasons why it is crucial and why your businesses should pay more attention to it:
Customer Satisfaction and Retention: Excellent customer service ensures customers have a positive experience throughout their journey with a brand. Satisfied customers are more likely to remain loyal, make repeat purchases, and recommend the brand to others. On the other hand, poor customer service can lead to customer dissatisfaction, negative word-of-mouth, and lost business opportunities.
Brand Differentiation: In today’s competitive marketplace, where products and services can be easily replicated, exceptional customer service becomes a key differentiator. A brand that consistently delivers outstanding service stands out from its competitors and creates a strong competitive advantage.
Customer Lifetime Value: Customer service has a direct impact on the lifetime value of a customer. By providing exceptional service, businesses can foster long-term relationships, increase customer loyalty, and maximize the value that each customer brings to the business over time.
Brand Reputation and Trust: Customer service experiences heavily influence a brand’s reputation and the level of trust customers have in that brand. Positive interactions and prompt resolution of issues build trust and enhance the brand’s reputation, while negative experiences can lead to a tarnished image and erode trust.
Customer Feedback and Insights: Customer service interactions provide valuable feedback and insights into customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points. By actively listening to customer feedback, businesses can identify areas for improvement, develop better products or services, and refine their overall customer experience strategy.
Despite the importance of customer service, too many businesses overlook its significance due to various reasons such as cost constraints, lack of awareness, or a short-term focus on immediate sales. However, in a customer-centric market, where customer expectations continue to rise, neglecting customer service can result in missed opportunities and negative repercussions for the brand.
To thrive and succeed in today’s business landscape, businesses should prioritize customer service as a strategic investment. Businesses can create a customer-centric culture that delivers exceptional service and fosters long-term success by dedicating resources, training employees, implementing effective processes, and leveraging technology.
Building Customer-Centric Customer Service
To create delighted customers, businesses must prioritize customer service and address common pain points. Below are a few ideas you can use to make your customer service more customer-centric:
Streamlining Phone Menus: One of the most frustrating aspects of calling customer service is navigating through lengthy phone menus. Customers are forced to spend valuable time listening to announcements and options before they can make a selection. A customer-centric approach involves simplifying phone menus and providing clear and concise options, ensuring customers can quickly reach the appropriate department without wasting time.
Reducing Hold Times: Long hold times are a significant source of customer frustration. For instance, waiting on hold for 30 to 45 minutes, as experienced with my hosting company, is unacceptable and reflects a lack of consideration for the customer’s time. Customer-centric companies aim to minimize hold times by employing efficient call routing systems, increasing staffing levels during peak periods, and offering alternatives such as call-back options to provide flexibility and convenience.
Ensuring Clear Communication: Language barriers can hinder effective communication, especially when interacting with non-American call center representatives. Customer-centric businesses recognize the importance of clear and understandable communication. They prioritize hiring and training representatives who have excellent language skills and provide ongoing coaching to enhance comprehension and empathy.
Improving Automated Systems: Automated chatbots and voice bots can be valuable tools, but customer-centric companies ensure that their systems are user-friendly and efficient. Automated systems should offer comprehensive options and avoid trapping customers in endless loops or failing to provide the desired solutions. A customer-centric approach involves regularly updating and refining these systems to better meet customer needs.
Minimizing Repetition and Dropped Calls: Repeatedly providing the same information to different representatives, or experiencing dropped calls can be incredibly frustrating for customers. A customer-centric approach involves implementing robust communication protocols to avoid misunderstandings and minimize the need for repetition. Furthermore, businesses should strive to maintain stable call connections and promptly address dropped calls to ensure a seamless customer experience.
Enhancing On-Hold Experience: An essential aspect of phone etiquette is providing a pleasant on-hold experience. Customer-centric companies carefully curate their on-hold music or messages, ensuring they are soothing and not repetitive. They also implement mechanisms to inform customers that they are on hold, offer estimated wait times, or provide periodic updates on their position in the queue. This transparency helps manage customer expectations and reduces frustration.
Investing in User-Friendly Online Portals: A customer-centric approach extends beyond phone interactions. Businesses should provide user-friendly online portals that are easy to navigate and understand without requiring extensive assistance. Investing in a comprehensive customer experience (CX) review ensures that the portal’s usability is optimized, making it convenient for customers to access relevant information, manage their accounts, and seek support.
Offering Customization and Flexibility: Customers appreciate having control over their communication preferences. A customer-centric approach involves providing options for customers to customize their notification preferences and set reminders for important interactions. This flexibility allows customers to manage their engagements according to their individual needs and preferences.
As I was writing this post, my wife was assembling a product that she had purchased from QVC. After spending about 30 minutes assembling the item, she discovered that one of the legs was the wrong size. My wife didn’t want to spend another 30 minutes disassembling the item and packing it up to return the item, so I encouraged her to call QVC to see if they could just send her the right part.
After maybe two rings, a customer service representative picked up. The phone number my wife called must have pulled up her file for the representative to consult it. The representative addressed my wife by name without my wife ever providing it to them. My wife explained that she just received an order and that one of the legs was the wrong size. The customer service representative indicated that she saw my wife’s order but that they could not send her just the new leg she needed. My wife added that she had already assembled everything and only discovered the incorrect leg as it was the last step in the assembly process. The customer service representative acknowledged her effort to assemble the item and told her not to worry about it. They would send her a whole new one. They then instructed my wife that when she received the new order, she was to remove the correct-sized leg and replace it with the incorrect one she had initially received and that the order would contain a return shipping label in the box. Now that is how to build a customer-centric customer service department. It might also explain why my wife often shops at QVC.
Businesses can transform frustrating interactions into delightful customer experiences by prioritizing customer service and adopting customer-centric practices. Streamlining phone menus, minimizing waiting times, improving communication channels, and enhancing the on-hold experience are crucial to creating satisfied and loyal customers. Additionally, investing in user-friendly online portals and offering customization options further solidifies a customer-centric approach. Remember, an excellent customer experience is essential to exceptional customer service.
What can you do today to make your customer’s experience more customer-centric?
