High-quality customer service is one of the most important, if not the most important thing that a company can offer its customers. These days, word spreads much faster if a person is unhappy with customer service than if they are happy with it. There are many ways for people to spread the word that your company offers inadequate service, mainly because of social media.

Here’s an idea of what many leading-edge companies will be utilizing to provide customer service in 2018 :

Instant Chat Support

Instant chat support will get renewed importance in 2018, as more people prefer to get immediate service, rather than having to email and wait for a reply, or worse, be placed on hold on the phone. People want an instant, simple service, and by offering instant chat support, you can provide that for them.

Budget Increases And Reallocation For Customer Service Teams

There’s a new emphasis on technology in customer service, and companies are now investing more financial resources into their customer service solution than ever. Realizing your team can efficiently increase customer retention rates and upsell customers when appropriate, will make such a difference to your business. Reps around the world help customers anywhere, any time with a cloud-based customer service integration. The reps will get notes about the customer, for example, how often they shop, what their personality is like, etc. This detailed information will give each team member more of a chance of being successful in servicing the customer.

Customer Service Teams Will Continue to Emphasize Software Integrations

Companies are spending more dollars on technology. The amount of information that shared between systems will likely increase, and broader usage of “webhook” technology will make it easier for more integrations to share information in real-time. Field service management software and similar software integrations can be beneficial for retaining customers too.

Offer a “Try Before You Buy” Service

More companies realize that they can actually make more money in the long run by offering a “try before you buy” service. This option is something popular with clothing store customers. It allows them to see what an item of clothing fits like before either keeping it and paying or sending it back and not having any money come out of their account at all. This service is a great way to help customers who may be unsure about working with you and can help you to gain more business as well.

Your customer service in 2018 needs to be solely focused on making your customers happy and providing the best possible service to them. Consider what will make their lives easier, and consider them in everything you do. Whether you’re integrating a new service or piece of software, or you’re thinking of making a change to the website, put yourself in their shoes first. The fact that you are a customer focused company will shine through and make all the difference to your business success in the long run.

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