Several statistics show how poor customer service can impact a business’s operations. And up to 68% of customers will never return to an establishment they are unhappy with. That is a huge percentage no business would want to take lightly. Your customers are the fuel driving the company. If you lose them, you’re likely to lose a huge chunk of revenue. Below is a list of key problems to avoid in your customer service to keep them coming back.
- Excessive customer service automation
It is a great thing to know that technology is leading the transformation in the customer service sector. With the introduction of chatbots and other automation services, many businesses can attend to customers at any time. Unfortunately, there is a huge problem this creates. Businesses using excessive automation lose more customers, and a majority (of customers) do not return. That’s because excessive automation takes away the human element that customers sometimes need. Therefore, no matter how advanced the AI-influenced chatbot is, many customers will feel unattended.
What you can do is limit automation use to specific areas of your customer service. For example, you can restrict chatbots from attending to your website enquiries instead of making it your main ‘answering voice’ on the telephones. You can also decide to leave more elaborate customer enquiries to real customer service agents. Bots can also handle things to do with sales information and FAQs. These are little but significant ways to reduce your business’s excessive use of customer service automation.
- Missed business calls
One in three business calls is missed daily across companies in the UK, causing them to lose £30 billion annually. Furthermore, every business loses £1,200 per missed call. Even though the amount is lower in small businesses, £90 million yearly is still a whopping sum. If you see this happening in your businesses, it’s time to review call handling processes to prevent losing money. The question is how these businesses lose out on that many calls and money. Well, the answer is quite simple. It appears not many business establishments invest in proper business telephone systems.
According to UK tech experts, only 31% of small businesses make provision for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and other virtual phone systems. The remaining who do not increase the incidences of missed and unanswered calls. Upgraded business telephone systems ensure that all calls are answered and customers are catered to.
- Rude interactions
Data indicates that 42% of UK customers complain about rude interactions with customer service teams. This shows that they are prevalent and not just hearsay. Customers expect to be treated with respect and professionalism. Anything different from that can go against the company. It is recommended to embark on regular training of your customer service staff. By improving on this professional skill, your business can retain more customers. Remember that the chance of a disrespected customer returning to you is almost non-existent. This should be enough incentive to take it seriously.
