Getting Started with 24/7 Customer Service
It may seem overwhelming, but many businesses are beginning to see the benefits involved in providing 24/7 customer service. Thanks to technology, those no better time to provide all-encompassing customer service for your clients.
Social Media
Social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, are necessary in order to provide 24/7 customer service. This gives people an outlet to get their questions answered or their concerns addressed after (and sometimes before) business hours. Many businesses have at least two Twitter accounts (not counting any personal or business accounts of the business owner, CEO, or key employees). One account is a basic account that gives information about the company and otherwise works on brand development and management. The secondary account is often the more important account because its sole goal is to answer questions or address concerns from current or potential clients. AT&T and Sling TV are two companies out of many that follow this protocol. They both have basic accounts to give out information and when people send questions, concerns, or complaints to that account, a secondary account answers. These accounts are named to show clients that it is still the same company, but customer service agents run the account in order to help clients.
Self-Service Options
Regardless of your industry, think about ways that your clients can get answers to their questions after hours without the need to talk to anyone from your company. Some ideas include:
- Set up a well-informed blog. Your blog should have posts that answer questions about your services. These shouldn’t just be broad answers. They should be well-informed and valuable to your clients or potential clients. If you’re an attorney or a doctor, you may consider putting up posts about documenting certain developments and when someone should seek emergency medical help. Remember to always use a disclaimer. If you’re a plumber, you could have articles about how someone could shut off their water in their home until they are able to contact your office in the morning.
- Make it easy to pay online. PayPal is one of the easiest options to set up to take online payments although there are other options. When you make it easy for clients to pay online, you’re providing them with a self-service option that they want.
- Well written FAQs. If people have questions about who they should talk to with your company about a billing issue or how to set up an appointment, you should have a set of well written FAQs so that your clients know what steps they need to take to solve their problem.
- Set up an email just for overnight concerns. Provide your clients with an email address they can use to reach your business after hours. Even if you don’t plan to have someone checking that account at night, make sure that your clients know that the email is checked first thing in the morning.
Active Follow-up
Having an active follow-up technique is another 24/7 customer service activity. It shows your clients that you care about them and that it’s not just about the sale of your services. Contact your clients after their appointment and make sure that they haven’t thought up any questions or that they don’t have any concerns. This goes a long way to build customer loyalty.
Get Help with Your Customer Service
If you’re a small business owner, you wear a lot of hats. You can get help with your customer service at a fraction of the price it would cost you to hire an employee. Clients ARM has more than 30 years of experience. We act as a natural extension of your company. Our representatives are U.S. based and we understand the importance of old fashioned customer service principles. Contact us to schedule your free process review and find out how Clients ARM can help you establish the 24/7 customer service experience that you want to provide for your clients.
