Most individuals take excellent customer service as a given. Customers anticipate prompt responses to their inquiries and the resolution of any problems they may encounter. That’s the default.
When a company meets these standards, they offer decent customer service but aren’t exactly setting the world on fire. You won’t stand out from the crowd. What makes you different, then?
Putting a human face on your service and showing sympathy for your customers makes a huge difference.
The interaction between a firm and its clientele is fundamentally commercial. But it doesn’t mean you can’t add a touch of affection. When customers feel like they are just a number, they feel that they got more than what they paid for.
But why would a business want to do that?
For one, its good for everyone in the business reason. It’s uplifting for those who give the service and for those who receive it.
Second, it’s great advertising for your company. By going above and beyond what clients expect, you bring their customer experience up several notches. Customers are more likely to tell others about their positive experience with a company, whether it’s business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B), and whether it’s online or in person. Free advertising for your company is generated each time the tale is relayed.
What is customer care? And why do the experts believe it to be the crux of every business?
Care for consumers occurs when a business makes an effort to connect with its clients on an emotional level. It’s something that can—and should—be addressed by everyone on the team, not simply a customer care person or a customer success manager.
Care for customers involves more than simply providing the services customers have come to expect from a company and the appropriate level of technical assistance. Relationship building and tending to their emotional need are key. Customers will return if you provide them with the attention and care they deserve.
Not everyone wants the same template though. While many prefer the white glove treatment, some may simply want one or two phrases, and then they’re on their way.”
Differences between customer experience, customer service, and customer care
Experience, service, and care all refer to what a client has with a company, although they are often used interchangeably. While both strategies aim to boost customer happiness and loyalty, there are important distinctions between them.
Helping consumers learn about, start using, and fix problems with a product or service is the focus of customer service or customer support. Also included are the procedures that make for stellar customer service.
In addition to helping people with their issues, customer service workers should also be there for them emotionally.
Take this example of a broken planter. A customer ordered a ceramic flower pot only to have it delivered to their doorstep in pieces. The shattered flower pot was disappointing enough but then what the customer later shared was the dread she had felt at the thought of having to go through those hoops to get through to customer care.
The good thing was, that the online shop didn’t even request proof that the planter was shattered. The representative didn’t ask many questions, treated her kindly, and showed a lot of empathy.
The customer was so thrilled (and pleased) that she hardly considered looking for another supplier. The customer service representative made the customer feel that the interaction was suited to her situation – even if it was the norm to just send replacements without question.
The term “customer experience“, on the other hand, refers to a consumer’s interaction with a company from the time of research until long after they have made a purchase. Customer service interactions and care may or may not be a part of this.
The same customer first knew about this flower pot supplier when she clicked on an Instagram ad. The ad then led her to a website that provided the dimensions and styles available. She had then decided to push through with the purchase because delivery was free and the merchant accepted Gcash and PayMaya. However, the whole interaction with the supplier or her customer journey was based on the agent’s reaction to the damaged flower pot.
Why customer experience, service, and care are crucial
Any encounter with a client may turn into a PR nightmare, therefore it’s crucial to invest in a strong customer service department. The number of consumers who prefer to air their problems online (including on social media) increased between 2017 and 2022.
Before the pandemic, a particular clothing business had to rebrand because one of the supplier’s associates, in jest, told off a customer that the reason why her dress didn’t fit was because she was fat. Of course, this led to a screaming match online with the client posting how their dimensions were incorrect. Apologies were made but the damage had been done.
A single bad customer service experience may harm your image, even if your agents generally provide pleasant ones since disgruntled customers are prone to share their concerns with others.
Thus, making client satisfaction (and happiness) a top priority has several financial and legal benefits for a company.
Level up customer satisfaction and ensure that you work with a team that understands customer service, customer care, and customer experience by heart.
NEARSOL is a US-based BPO and service company that offers clients custom-design solutions. With major hubs in Manila and Iloilo, it began operations in 2011 and has since gained a strong presence in the Latin American regions, the Caribbean, and the Asia Pacific, winning many awards for quality and service along the way. Most recent of which is its Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition, a global accreditation that tells stakeholders what employees think of the company culture.
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