Why Customer Service Matters More Than Ever Before

Across almost every industry, delivering superior customer support is a top goal. Why? It’s simple. Without a bevy of satisfied clients who tell others about your product or service, you could create the highest quality goods and they’d simply sit on the shelf. Even with the proliferation of digitization, studies show that people trust word-of-mouth recommendations over any other type, even if they come from a complete stranger in the form of online feedback or ratings.

To that end, delivering top-notch customer service and support has always been a priority for forward-thinking businesses. Yet, today it might matter even more than ever before. Here are a few reasons why.

1. Stellar service creates trust.

With the rise of digital tech, there are more opportunities for customer connection than ever before. Unfortunately, there are also more risks for data exposure, identity theft and business fraud as well as companies take their brick-and-mortar operations online. As such, anything your company can do to earn your clients’ trust is a win in both your book and theirs.

The importance of responsive, targeted customer service that directly addresses their pain points cannot be overlooked. If your customers and prospects aren’t getting it from you, there are myriad competitors who would be more than willing to secure their trust, and their dollars, instead.

2. Support quality is more important than price.

According to a recent survey, customers would pay more to do business with a brand that offers excellent customer support than one that doesn’t, even if their price point is a little higher. That means that you can afford to charge more for your goods and services, so long as you have the support professionals on hand to field any customer inquiries or requests that might arrive. The era of pay more/get more is upon us and to keep up, it’s imperative that your business deliver.

3. Customer service helps build your brand awareness.

The more a customer interacts with your brand, the more he or she is aware of your company name, values, mission and more. To that end, when your teams make sure every touchpoint is a positive one, that goes a long way in building overall brand awareness and identity. That’s why business leaders should look at every customer question or service request as an opportunity to ultimately earn a glowing review or 5-star rating.

When you look at it this way, it becomes clear that reputation is king in the business world and to maintain yours, you can’t be unresponsive, difficult to work with and begrudging. Rather, keep putting the customer first and the return will be well worth the investment.

4. Customers crave personalization.

With so many options at their fingertips, customers can afford to be selective and discerning today. They’re not just looking for beautiful packaging or a brand name they recognize. Rather, they’re seeking out companies that go above and beyond to make their clients feel valued. They prefer personalized marketing outreach over mass messaging and they expect support teams to be available on their time and via their preferred smart devices.

If you find that your teams are lacking in any of these areas, it might be time to beef up your customer communication skills (you can read more now about how to stand out in this space). Or, you may need to invest in additional technology tools to expand their reach and capabilities. Whatever training you require, this is one of the most important areas to do it in, so make sure your teams are on board and start getting serious about maximizing the customer experience.

While the modern consumer might be more choosy than ever before, that doesn’t have to be a negative. If you deliver excellent service on top of an already-excellent product, you’re golden. If you still have some work to do, the good news is it’s never too late to shift your focus. Your audience is waiting, so go impress them.