How to Improve Your Customer Experience

News & Press
Written By Mandie Reiber
 

1 thing you simply must do to maintain a positive customer experience

phone call quality control is more important than ever.

It’s not a secret that 2020 has brought with it a number of challenges for businesses all over the world. Let’s not waste time listing them all—let’s focus on how your customer experience will withstand the pressure.

A business that hopes to survive—even thrive—in a changing world must stay nimble and relevant. Easier said than done, we know. It’s hard for us to even keep this blog current! If there’s one thing that you simply must do to maintain a positive customer experience, it’s this: Keep the quality going!

How, you ask? 1) Throw out the “business as usual” paradigms, and 2) Be proactive by practicing forward thinking.

Throw out the “business as Usual” paradigms

“business as usual” is a customer experience killer.

Lately I had the best conversation in a Zoom hangout with some dear friends. One of my buddies was talking about a helpful and meaningful interaction she had with a customer support professional on the phone. Katy was telling us, “It was such a genuine interaction with the customer service rep.” The professional was working remotely and there was some commotion in the background–her child. She apologized for the interruption, but for Katy, the conversation became more warm, more human. They discussed how they were both dealing with their new work-from-home situations. “I feel like I have a friend at the company now,” Katy said.

Let’s be real. In a “business as usual” situation, hearing a child in the background while on the phone with a professional would have been appalling. But now, it sparks empathy and compassion. “Business as usual” is markedly different in 2020, and we need to keep this in mind when seeking to create a positive interaction for our clients.

Due to fewer (and more trepidatious) face-to-face client interactions, the phone is once again a primary tool in your customer experience. Don’t underestimate the value of your phone etiquette. You’re not a robot, be human. Warmth and empathy enhance any conversation. Being human over the phone is even more paramount as your team fields questions—a LOT of questions—that you may never have been asked before:

Have your hours changed—and are they published on your website or Google page?
As a customer, what do I need to be prepared for when I enter your business?
Is a mask required?
Do I need to wait to be greeted?
Will you be checking my temperature?
Am I expected to wash my hands upon arrival?
Is there a limit to the number of people in my party?

This one’s a biggie: Does your website outline your protocols?

Sidebar: You must expect customers to review your website before calling. Don’t create a customer compromise by not sharing pertinent details about how you have adjusted your business practices.

be proactive by practicing forward thinking

banish the “this is the new normal” thinking from your mind.

Life is moving much too quickly for a “new normal” to set in! Stop reacting to changes as they happen and be proactive by practicing forward thinking.

Start your day with a strategy of creativity. Your customer experience must stay fresh, genuine, and human. It’s okay to try new things in an effort to serve your clients better. At the end of each day, reflect on your new approaches and the successes and failures that resulted. Implement a resolved system the next day. Rinse and repeat.

Sometimes a mindset shift is necessary for forward thinking to be effective. One of my favorite concepts for meaningful change in an organization is “Creativity over Capital.” This thought process can revolutionize the way you handle your customers. It’s easy to get hooked on money, money, money. Instead, practice focusing on what’s more important: how your customers experience your service. Analyze your customer experience from head to toe, top to bottom, beginning to end.

Let’s talk specifically about client interactions over the phone. Managers and owners, join your teams on the phone. Answer calls yourself. Are you confident that your team is consistently delivering a positive call experience? How are you and your team responding to inquiries and issues? Are your conversations focused on building a client relationship or making another sale?

Measure what you can. Document, document, document. (TIP: This is where mystery shopping comes in.) Some simple metrics you can track are:

  1. How many rings does it take for your team to answer the phone? Do calls get bumped to voicemail?

  2. How does your team greet the customer when they answer the phone?

  3. Do you sound scripted, or genuine?

Here’s where creativity comes in. Work with your team to brainstorm solutions to hiccups (or giant stumbling blocks) in your customer experience. Ideate different ways you can shorten the time it takes for a professional to answer the phone. Develop a solid opening your team can use to greet your customers. Create an environment of openness so your team members lose the robo-tone and sound more pleasant and warm.

Don’t shy away from asking your clients for feedback. No one knows your customer experience better than your customers! Ask your clients, “Did we address your concerns to your satisfaction?” or “What more can we do to help you further?” Managers and owners, place a follow-up call to clients to check in and make sure their needs were addressed. If they mention an issue with your customer experience, whip our your creative cap and get to work. If one customer experienced an issue during their interaction with your team, chances are multiple customers have run into that issue as well. Learning there’s a problem is NOT a bad thing! It’s an opportunity to get creative, implement a solution, and serve your clients better.

quality is a process, not a destination

there is always an opportunity to improve

Any business owner who truly understands the value of the customer experience will constantly seek ways to make it better. Quality is a process, not a destination. The world is and will always be changing, and your business needs to make changes in anticipation of—or in response to—the changes in the world.

In summary:

  • Business as usual isn’t what it used to be. Has your customer experience adjusted to reflect that?

  • You’ll be fielding questions you may not have had to answer before. Is your team prepared?

  • There is no “new normal.” It’s time to get creative. Ideate and implement new approaches.

  • Analyze your customer experience. Measure what you can. Develop solutions.

When you’re ready to make quality a priority, Dead Ringers is here to help. In the meantime, stay nimble, stay creative, stay human.  

THE SCIENCE OF THE HOLD

If you’re ready to take your phone skills to the next level, download our free whitepaper, “The Science of the Hold,” to learn tips and tricks for placing your clients on hold—the right way.

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Improving your customer experience starts with understanding it. We’ll mystery shop your business, analyze the results, and provide unique insights on where you stand and how to improve.

 
Mandie Reiber
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