Customer service in 2016 is so much more than the stereotypical call center full of script-reading automatons plowing through customer inquiries. Today it is seen as the viable profit center it really is, with the potential to explode sales and improve customer retention. Of course evolution is never really completely, and so the story is not over. Excelling at customer service requires ongoing investment and attention. In fact, Gartner reports that by 2017 (next year), more than half of research and development investments will be redirected toward innovations in customer experience. For companies who want to remain competitive, customer support solutions must be a top priority.

How customer service relates to growth

With the vast amount of business solutions available in the market today, innovative companies have to differentiate themselves to customers, and those same customers prize customer service above all else. There are numerous studies showing the value customers place on how they are treated, and how a company makes them feel on a consistent basis. Answering questions and addressing issues promptly are the number one factors, and of course being put on hold or having to repeat the same issue to multiple employees are at the top as well.

Although smaller companies are often hesitant to invest in customer service too early, there really is no such thing. Customer service is not just something for large enterprises, and it is no longer a nice-to-have. If you want to succeed and grow, you MUST invest in customer service now. Investing in a good customer support software helps ensure maximum growth and optimum efficiency. Not to mention that a proper customer service solution that is tailored to your business needs (for example B2B or B2C) will actually save you money through increased productivity and customer retention.

Technology makes advanced support software affordable to all

While words like “advanced” and “custom” may sound expensive, with the advance of Software as a Service (SaaS) it needn’t be – subscription based software is extremely affordable and scales easily as you grow. You only pay for the licenses you need, and it’s easy to adjust as your company evolves.

Customer support software can literally pay for itself (many times over) by reducing duplication of effort, improving agent efficiency, increasing customer satisfaction and reducing the number of live agent calls. In reality, it’s more expensive to not have customer service software than it is to purchase a solid system.

Customer service is the new marketing

In addition to the obvious cost reduction opportunities, providing exceptional customer service is a fantastic marketing initiative. Word of mouth has always been the best way to market, and channels like social media and the internet in general have multiplied its effect exponentially. So the moral of the story is simple, the better customer service experience you provide the more word of mouth referrals you are going to get. And that is still the cheapest customer acquisition method there is. Additionally, providing superior customer support ensures your customers will stay with you longer, and likely spend more over time.

Remember that once marketing has generate the lead, and sales has converted them to a customer, the ensuing relationship is with customer service. In fact for software companies the relationship with customer support often begins DURING the sales and marketing stages, and if a prospective customer has a fantastic experience they’re almost guaranteed to purchase just based on that.

The best investment you can make

To be successful in business today and for the future, your short and long term plans must include solid investment in customer service. It will have a direct impact on your bottom line and provide a framework for growth. Investing in customer support is a combination of money and resources, and the sooner the better.

Here is an example of what you should be investing in now:

  • People: hire and train the right people, and make sure you have enough to support your customers
  • Culture: your support team and your entire company must focus on customer success. Customer success = company success in every industry, every time.
  • Technology: look for technology that can improve efficiency and support your customers. Things like customer relationship management (CRM) and customer support software help you manage customers more efficiently, and provides channels and self-service options today’s customers demand. The right system(s) will enhance your customer service efforts by increasing efficiency and decreasing costs

Exceptional customer service is the difference between surviving and thriving, and in our opinion it will soon be the only way to survive at all. Remember happy customers = more customers.