On-time customer support is a major driver of customer satisfaction. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s only grown more critical in the eyes of customers. As customers navigate complex and fragmented commercial landscapes with fewer in-person opportunities to discuss their needs, they are increasingly leaning upon contact centers to answer questions or resolve issues. Importantly, their experience with a contact center matters. A poor experience is enough to spur customers to change providers, whereas a positive one fosters brand loyalty – and even encourages additional purchases. Here’s how a contact center can help you surpass customer expectations.
Contact Center Essentials: What to Know
When we talk about today’s contact centers, we mean more than a room filled with call center agents. Modern contact centers are complex, flexible, omnichannel solutions that empower customers to get in touch how and when they want. By providing omnichannel solutions, modern contact centers:
- Tap into a growing preference for getting in touch via asynchronous or digital media rather than over the phone.
- Make it easy for customers to get in touch wherever they happen to be – whether that’s on their preferred social media platform or via text.
- Reduce wait times and agent load by efficiently diverting incoming calls.
- Balance AI-driven and human interactions – ensuring customers still encounter a friendly “voice” on the other end of the line.
- Provide integrated information about the customer journey and background, providing a more personalized experience and avoiding the need to repeat information.
- Use analytics to identify areas of positive performance and gaps in the user experience, providing a pathway for improved customer outreach.
- Offer opportunities for follow-up, outreach, and personalized offers.
Contact Centers are Part of a Support Ecosystem
While contact centers are a powerful force for brand loyalty and customer satisfaction, they don’t exist within a vacuum. They perform best when part of a larger brand ecosystem that takes into consideration factors such as:
- Product and service clarity. Are the terms and features of your product or service clear and free of potential “gotchas” that may invite high levels of customer service calls?
- Video and FAQ support. Does your product or service offer clear onboarding as well as easy troubleshooting through videos, FAQs, or other documentation?
- Automated returns and cancellations. Is it easy for customers to return a product or change/cancel a service without having to get in touch?
- Branding, training, and scripting. Is your team trained to understand the products and services you offer and provide on-brand, relevant, and knowledgeable support?
When your quality contact center support is part of a larger commitment to the overall customer experience, you’ll find that your call volumes are not only more manageable but that customers are more understanding as well.
Elevate Your Contact Center with ACD
If good customer service matters to your brand – and it should – talk to the team at ACD. Our integrated, cloud-based customer contact solutions can help you foster brand loyalty and customer satisfaction at every point in the sales funnel. Coupled with our pool of on-demand customer service agents, ACD can help you take your business to the next level. For more information or to see our solution in action, get in touch today!
