Have you ever sighed at the thought of ringing your bank, or a utility provider? Is this because experience tells you that you’ll be asked to press 1 for that department, then 2 for the next, then another to describe your reason for calling, then you’re asked to enter your account details and pass a security check before you actually speak to a human being? Then often are told you haven’t reached the team you need and need to be transferred? Does that feel great – particularly as the number you’ve rung is called Customer Service and it can feel anything but.
As someone who relishes good customer service, like most of us I am sure, I want to speak to someone that understands, can give advice or rectify any issue we have in the least amount of time. We want the ‘Perfect Customer Experience’.
However, we all know in the real world this doesn’t always happen but I am still happy if the person I speak to at least gives it a try and promises to call me back if they need to look into my issue further.
A recent survey said that only 26% of consumers responded positively when asked if they believe customer service centres provide great support, compared to 49% who did not. This clearly shows how the industry is missing the mark in relation to customer expectations.
In 2011 80% of consumers said they prefer talking to an advisor on the phone, but times have changed – consumers now want to be able to research for themselves and take control of the conversation – including the ability to communicate in multiple ways, including e-mail, live chat, or ‘click to call’ support from a website.
So while I believe that it is still extremely important to maintain a strong phone presence, it is equally important to demonstrate that you have consistency of response quality across other multi-media channels, including social media platforms.
Customer satisfaction is finally climbing up the priority list and, in my opinion, is the most important factor of a successful business. These changes are indicative that consumer demands are driving the shift in metrics.
Here at Credo Asset Finance, we have always been striving for the ‘Perfect Customer Experience’ and we invite customers to go to our ‘Meet the Team’ page so they can see who they are dealing with. Clicking onto individual profiles outline their specialism and their contact details and helps potential customers find the right person they want quickly and simply. Our web analytics show this is one of our most viewed pages, so we know we’re right to invest in this page – have a look at ithere!
We are also available on e-mail, live chat and social media platforms, giving people choice on how to contact us. We have invested in our YouTube channel too and created some useful videos to help with all the finance jargon, take a look at it here!For free, true advice about your Asset Finance needs remember you can always call too! We love to chat!
And we also love to learn! What’s your secret of great customer service in your business?