3 easy ways to automate your customer service
We’ve all had those less than stellar experiences when it comes to customer service encounters. Whether it’s an order mix-up at the drive-through, an issue with an online delivery, problems with recurring charges after you’ve cancelled a subscription — hiccups in the sales and servicing world happen on a daily basis.
I’m sure we’ve all had customer service experiences that stand out for their above-and-beyond nature. It doesn’t take a lot for an encounter with a brand to become memorable for all the right reasons, and personalised, thoughtful customer service touches can be the difference between a forgettable purchase and a lasting brand impression that’s worth its weight in word-of-mouth gold.
Customer service isn’t just about solving problems and reactive troubleshooting. When it’s approached with a proactive mindset, customer service can be the very thing that sets your work apart (for good).
Here’s three easy ways you can build a customer service experience to remember.
- Cater for all kinds of customers
Some people prefer to pick up the phone. Others prefer to talk in person. Others, still, can’t stand the thought of having to speak to an actual human to get the information they need, and are just looking to get the job done in the most efficient manner possible.
Automated customer service tools give the power back to your customers when it comes to how they can interact with your brand. Set your office hours free and provide immediate, intuitive support and service well outside of the 9–5. With innovative tools such as AI-driven chatbot support, knowledge bases that can be shaped for common needs hierarchies, and coordinated communication tools that allow for all kinds of access, you can tailor customer service solutions to reach all kinds of people.
2. Provide immediate answers
You know what leaves a great taste in customer’s mouths? Immediate resolutions. By utilising automation tools in your customer service channels, you can equip your user base with instant access to the answers they’re looking for. Support chatbots can be set up to respond to issues across sales, deliveries, FAQs and all kinds of helpdesk questions. By thoughtfully designing your chatbots and knowledge bases, you can give the steering wheel back to your consumer base, providing the information they need as soon as they hit the search button.
3. Know when to call in the cavalry
AI-driven communication works a treat in the customer service field — until it doesn’t. There are some issues that will require the help of a living, breathing human, and your automated service channels can be trained to know exactly when it is to hand over a case or conversation. With intelligent assignment rules that draw on factors such as message keywords, company types and the products or service the customer’s using, incoming enquiries can be escalated and routed to the right desk for further investigation.
When done well, automated customer service can bring the very best of what we look for in our human experiences — thoughtful responses, delivered in a timely manner, designed to move towards true resolution.
Go forth and serve!
