3 Practices for VIP Customer Service from Contact Centers
April 20th, 2017 by Trent Smith
“CUSTOMERS WHO EXPERIENCE DISGUST, ANGER, OR A FEELING OF NEGLECT DURING A BRAND INTERACTION ARE ABOUT EIGHT TIMES MORE LIKELY NOT TO FORGIVE THAT COMPANY.” –FORRESTER RESEARCH
Today’s savvy business is dedicated to giving every one of their customers the VIP treatment. This often presents new challenges for the contact center, which must consistently deliver high-end personalized service to everyone who engages with the company. While contact center managers are busy finding the right ways to create a VIP experience in every customer interaction, they risk disappointing customers without the right tools or resources. As if that doesn’t pose enough stress, the stakes are high enough for success that failure isn’t an option.
According to Forrester Research, one-third of companies in the B2C market will make changes in their business structure in the next year to get closer to their customers and more effectively compete based on experience. To do so, they’re expected to make aggressive shifts in their IT budgets, investing in technologies that enable more personalized experiences.
3 Practices for VIP Customer Service from Contact Centers
Rethinking your contact center interactions to ensure every customer gets VIP service starts by giving your agents access to tools and customer insights that elevate their level of customer interaction. In addition, your contact center must:
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Go Above and Beyond
With access to accurate CRM data via screen pops, your contact center agents are likely already tailoring interactions to each individual caller by referencing their purchase history, past support interactions and communications preferences. Now they’ll need big data and predictive analytics to uncover the kinds of insights that enables them to anticipate customers’ needs and proactively deliver service that surprises and delights. Using call center statistics to gain insights into customer buying patterns and communications preferences can give executives an edge over their competition and guide more effective marketing strategies.
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Find High-Value Moments to Connect
When a contact center gives customers the power to choose how to connect, they’re also ensuring that communication channels are integrated. This single view of all interactions makes it easier for your agents to efficiently deliver top-notch care. Your agents are them ready to identify the “critical steps in journeys where customers are paying the most attention, are most anxious, or appreciate value the most,” says Forrester. Look for situations where you can provide added value, such as offering to help them complete a complex form online. Then, focus on delivering a personalized experience at just the right moment, when you’re most likely to exceed your customer’s expectations.
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Make Continuous Improvement
With real-time and historical reporting, you can harness contact center data to analyze interactions and review and revamp processes in real-time. Follow-up surveys also provide a source of continuous feedback. As you embed these tools and practices into your contact center, you’ll find it easier to deliver the kind of VIP treatment customers will notice and remember. Over time, this will pay off for your business in a big way as customers return, spend more and, best of all, refer their friends.
Flexible Contact Center Solutions from ShoreTel and Van Ausdall & Farrar, Inc.
No matter what size your business, you know that customer satisfaction is tied to repeat business and your company’s reputation. ShoreTel’s flexible contact center solutions from Van Ausdall & Farrar, Inc. service every type of call center – from smaller, less formal environments to large organizations requiring multimedia, sophisticated routing, enhanced reporting options, self-service and outbound campaign capabilities. ShoreTel’s support for leading CRM and enterprise management applications lets you deploy a complete, integrated call center solution that meets your unique and changing business requirements.
Posted in: Insights from VAF Blog
