Customer support is probably the most overlooked department in a business setting. However, they might be one of the most important in terms of revenue generation. It may sound surprising to many, but the quality of after-sales and support services can alter your business’s bottom line.
For example, you want a new cable connection for your home. So, you call the cable customer care number to get details. If the services rep listens to you intently and answers all your queries, you might choose that service. On the other hand, if the customer support is awful, the company would have lost a potential customer. So, let’s take a look at some of the ways customer support affects your net profits:
Improving Customer Retention
Your customers are going to remember you by the interactions they had with your customer support reps. So, good customer service can tip the scales in your favor. It can be easier to retain customers this way. So, even with competitors that offer the same, your customer might feel a sense of loyalty towards you. The first and last interaction a customer may have with a business is through the services department. So, if you can personalize it, you might improve conversion rates.
It costs significantly less to retain old customers than to gain new ones. Moreover, repeat customers might spend more money than others. A satisfied customer is also more likely to refer your services to other people as well. More referrals can thus mean more leads which can then change into potential sales.
Increasing Conversion Rates
Marketing through different channels can bring in customers through your door. But customer support is what will make them stay. Some customers might be confused about whether they should buy something or not. So, a customer rep can nudge them by saying all the right things. If you can make a potential client feel welcome and comfortable, they are more likely to lighten their wallet. So, the way your employees treat clients can make all the difference. There is a fine line between a good lead and a sale conversion. And an appropriate support team can help you cross it.
Making Up for Bad Experiences
A lousy customer experience can be a bitter pill to swallow. If a customer feels like they have been mistreated, it will take a lot to bring them back to you. However, the weight of even one bad experience can be a lot more than a few good ones. Research from Zendesk shows that 50% of customers would shift services after one bad experience. So, you might have to work extra hard to satisfy an alienated customer. Good customer service can thus make up for it. A well-mannered and trained after-sales rep can help you avoid all the trouble. And you won’t have to bend over backward later on to fix any mistakes.
Representing Your Business
Your customer service agents might be a reflection of your entire business. When a customer calls, the first person they interact with is a support team member. So, they could be solely responsible for making a good first impression on your clients. Customer service reps are the eyes and voice of your company. Moreover, they can reflect your entire business model. So, if you want the customer to think they are a priority, you should focus on a good client experience. From the day they first call you to onboard and beyond, good support skills can make or break a deal.
Building a Better Company Reputation
Your company’s reputation is probably the most important thing at stake. One or two bad experiences might not hurt much, but a consistently bad rep can be devastating. A bad reputation can be almost impossible to recover from. Not only will it push away existing customers, but you also won’t get any new ones. So, if you want to maintain a good rep on the market, you will need fantastic customer service.
Investing in Customers
All successful businesses have to invest time and effort in their customers. It means that companies need to consider their clients’ needs and cater to their problems. Moreover, if you can’t focus on each customer separately, you might see a mass exodus of clients. No one wants to feel like just another person in the crowd. And each customer might have different expectations from you. So, putting in the time to genuinely treat your buyers with kindness and courtesy can go a long way.
If you invest in your patrons, the return can come back bigger and sooner than you expect. It means a lot for clients when they see a business making genuine efforts to put them first. As a result, you can have more chances of building a long-lasting relationship with them.
