With the likes of improvements in technology and the increased popularity of social media, in this blog there are three customer service trends that businesses need to be aware of for 2019.
1. Increase use of instant messaging
Social media has skyrocketed in the last few years, with more than 4 billion users worldwide since 2018. Customers use social messaging as they are impatient and want immediate responses from businesses. In 2019, customers are making informed decisions and are carrying out more information searches before they purchase a product or service. Therefore, social media has completely changed the face of customer service. According to twilio.com, messaging ranks the number one preferred customer service channel preferred by consumers in South Korea, India, Singapore and the US. Customers are looking for convenience, they are in search of quick and easy communication. They want to be able to simply drop a message on Facebook Messenger for example and receive a reply rapidly. Considering this, they are seeking seamless communication or messaging that can be integrated into their everyday life.
Instant messaging can therefore be divided into two categories:
Social Media Monitoring:
According to Business Insider, the combined user base of the top four chat apps is now larger than the combined user base of the top four social networks. With instant messaging and social media on the rise, it is critical for businesses to be where their customers are. Businesses need to meet their customers where they are present and where they are already spending their time.Using instant messaging will allow for a two-way conversation between businesses and consumers. The USP for instant messaging is that, it allows consumers to stay connected with businesses no matter where they are, further deepening the relationship between the business and the consumer. As such, it’s no surprise that, more and more companies have started to implement social media instant messaging for customer communication.
Live Chat Plug Ins:
Customers value your instant response and demand quick actions. A live chat service means that dedicated Customer Service Representatives can engage with the customer in order to satisfy and understand customer needs better. When customers can easily contact you with any questions,problems or queries that they may have, they will be more confident in your company as a source of valuable knowledge and support. A study by the American Marketing Association study illustrates that live chat can increase conversions by at least 20 percent. The typical ROI rate from paid live chat software for sales teams is about 300%.
At Arema Connect, we have experience in both Social Media Monitoring and Live Chat Service to ensure that there is a constant presence on your website or social media in order to stay connected with your customers. Instant messaging via social media or live chat is undoubtedly a customer service trend that will become even more significant in 2019.
2. Omnichannel Customer Experience:
2019 will involve moving away from multichannel and progressing to an omnichannel customer experience. This refers to the consumers touch points over a variety of channels that seamlessly connect. As discussed by VCC Live, customers no longer accept that they have to repeat what they have said already to another Customer Service Representative via a different channel. In fact, they expect the Customer Service Representative to know what they have previously discussed and their interaction history in order to resolve the issue. Customer expectations are increasing day by day and customers are longing for an integrated customer experience that will increase customer satisfaction.
3. Personalisation:
In today’s world customers have high expectations and there is no such thing as a ‘one product fits all’. Customers expect companies to know who they are, what are their interests and what are their preferences. Personalisation can be driven by the multiple sources of customer data available to businesses, and then using that data to tailor messages or products towards consumers. It very much ties in with the use of Artificial Intelligence. The evolution of big data has made it possible for companies to build a clearer picture of their target audience. As a result, it is using data to send the right message to the right people at the right time.
Personalisation, therefore, improves customer retention and helps develop customer loyalty. For call centres, it is more than reading out a scripted response but doing anything and everything for the customer to create a personalised and seamless experience. It focuses on the customer, and putting the customer at the heart of the organisation. Essentially, it is about adding value and creating a positive customer experience.
The benefits of keeping up to date with customer service trends:
- It increases customer loyalty
- It creates positive word of mouth
- It gives you a competitive advantage
- It increases profitability
A C.I.T Intern, Marketing Department. I’m a dedicated and motivated Marketing Student studying at Cork Institute of Technology, passionate about all things Marketing. My achievements to date include winning the CIT 2018 brand challenge as well as being shortlisted to present market research project to the Marketing team of a large retail outlet. I consider myself to be creative, dependable and I have a positive attitude in the working environment. After completing my degree I hope to put into practice the skills and knowledge I have acquired to pursue a career in retail marketing.
