We explain what customer service is, the differences between customer service and experience and more.
What is customer service?
Customer service is a business process that requires technology tools and marketing strategies to improve the consumer experience. It is the way in which the company interacts with customers, for example, during the moment of purchase or after having purchased a product and having a problem.
The objective of customer service is to provide the solutions that the consumer needs, effectively and with friendly treatment. It is a service provided by companies and enterprises, and works as a differential advantage to maintain customer satisfaction: A satisfied customer represents more sales for the company in the medium and long term.
For example: A user bought a jacket in size 2 from a virtual store and received it three days later, but by mistake they sent him a size 1. The customer contacted the brand's customer service to start the process. complaint and they provided a prompt solution. Two days later they delivered the jacket in the requested size 2, and removed the size 1 one.
Despite the inconvenience, the customer felt satisfied with the cordial service and prompt resolution. If customer service had delayed addressing the complaint or had not offered a convenient solution, it is very likely that the customer will not purchase again and will rate the brand negatively on social networks and other digital channels.
See also: Marketing
Differences between service, attention and customer experience
He customer service It is the type of link that the company establishes with customers. However, for marketing it is a more complex concept, because depending on the type of activity carried out by the company, it can be implemented in different ways or areas: service, attention and customer experience. The concepts may sound very similar, but they involve the following differences:
Customer service
It is a process that includes multiple strategic actions:
- Anticipate. Anticipate possible problems that a client may have in order to establish positive responses, for example, in the event of delays in merchandise shipments or product failures.
- Provide support. Assist and respond immediately to customer complaints.
- Loyalty. Keep the customer informed of brand news and offer discounts or benefits after making a purchase.
For example: a clothing brand asks the user to register in order to make a virtual purchase. In addition to simplifying the process of a future purchase for the customer, registration allows the brand to track the user as they navigate the website or know which products they viewed, put in their basket, and then deleted. One of the marketing strategies consists of sending a special discount to the email of that registered user to encourage them to complete the purchase.
Customer service
It consists of a specific action, such as providing technical support address concerns or handle customer complaints effectively.
The attention may require the role of a specialist, for example, for the technical assistance of an internet service.
Customer experience
It consists of a complex process that involves research and analysis of customer actions, preferences, and opinions with the aim of knowing them in depth and implementing continuous improvements and more successful sales strategies according to each customer profile.
For example: an e-commerce platform analyzes the movements of users from the moment they search until they make or do not make a purchase and their subsequent classification of the product and seller.
Customer service channels
Customer service can be implemented through different official channels so that more customers can access adequate care.
Among the main channels we highlight the following:
- Telephone contact. Communication is carried out through telephone devices and calls can be answered indirectly, by an answering machine that guides the customer with different options, or directly, by an operator.
- Instant messaging. Communication is carried out through application software installed on a device. “Business” accounts offer optimized functions to provide a quick and agile response to customers.
- Email. Communication is carried out through an email account and is a formal channel because it allows the history of the conversation to be kept in an orderly manner and can be consulted again later.
- Virtual Personal Assistance. Communication is done through online chat, also called chatbot. It consists of artificial intelligence software that works from the seller's website and simulates a real conversation with a person, that is, it has predetermined questions and answers according to what the user indicates, to offer immediate answers. If necessary, it will refer the user to a human representative to continue speaking through that same channel.
- Social networks. Communication is done more informally, and can cause delays between the customer's query and the seller's response. It is usually the channel most used by small businesses that do not yet have a website or a team of people dedicated to customer service. In these cases, the social network functions as a channel to make sales, in addition to receiving inquiries or complaints.
Importance of customer service
A satisfied customer is a promoter of the brand or product through their ratings, opinions and word-of-mouth recommendations. The main importance of customer service is that it is a fundamental strategy to build customer loyalty, that is, it contributes to retaining them, especially when inconveniences occur during the purchase or after purchasing the product.
Errors or failures may occur in the purchasing processes. Therefore, it is key that companies or ventures have adequate customer service to face various inconveniences and, despite everything, the client feels satisfied.
Customer service is a plus or differential advantage that can accompany a product or service. Companies usually train representatives who are the visible face of the company and who have direct contact with customers, so that they can resolve various complaints satisfactorily.
Through a brief customer survey, the company can corroborate the effectiveness of customer service. Furthermore, the information collected from surveys is very valuable, because it allows detect the weakest points of the product, service or company to correct them.
In conclusion, adequate customer service reinforces the positive institutional image, promotes sales, preserves customers and allows the collection of information on the necessary and competitive improvements for the business.
References
- Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Gay, MGM, & Cantú, RGC (2013). Marketing Fundamentals. 11va. Edition. Pearson.
- Rojas, Keilma (2022). Customer service: what it is and keys to improving your service. https://www.tiendanube.com
