Customer service is the support you offer your customers — both before and after they buy and use your products or services — that helps them have an easy, enjoyable experience with your brand. But customer service is more than solving a customer’s problems and closing tickets. Today, customer service means delivering proactive and immediate support to customers anytime on the channel of their choice — phone, email, text, chat, and more with the help of customer service software.

Customer service is so important that it is now considered a strategic function for organisations across industries. In fact, 85% of service leaders say their org is expected to contribute more revenue this year.

In one word: retention. Happier customers are more likely to continue doing business with you. This helps your bottom line. It’s less expensive to keep current customers than to attract new ones.

Customer service is also a differentiator that sets your brand apart from competitors that offer similar products or services. Service teams not only answer questions; they personalise each customer experience. In fact, 88% of customers say that the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services.

Meanwhile, subpar customer experiences contribute to churn. Eighty percent of shoppers will abandon a retailer after three bad experiences, for example. Great customer service is important for your brand reputation, too. After all, customers are quick to share negative experiences with the masses online.

With loyalty on the line, service leaders need to master the art of great customer service. These seven best practices will help you use the right technology, help your team, and meet ever-changing customer expectations.

1. Connect customer service to the broader organisation

Eighty-five percent of customers expect consistent interactions across departments. It doesn’t matter whether the customer is on self-service channels or chatting with a sales rep. Customers want continuity — not redirects to a different team or having to repeat information.

The key is to connect service to your customer relationship management (CRM) system. This will give you a complete view of a customer’s interactions with your company. When a customer reaches out, the agent has all relevant data on a single screen — demographics, order history, preferences, and more — so they know how to help. And they’ll know who to pull in from another department to help resolve the issue, if need be.

2. Offer support on every channel
Today, great customer service happens everywhere — email, social media, text, and, of course, the phone. No matter the channel, customers want fast, convenient, and high-quality support. Here are the channels every service leader needs to scale support:

• Voice: While 91% of service professionals say the phone is a preferred channel for complex issues, phone support isn’t what it used to be. Today, voice is as much a digital channel as email or webchat. The key is to connect cloud telephony with your CRM. Call information instantly appears on the agent’s screen. Artificial intelligence (AI) transcribes the encounter in real time. This way, agents stay focused on the customer.
• Mobile: The vast majority of service organisations use messaging apps (79%) and mobile apps (78%) to deliver customer service. Mobile options offer asynchronous communication. Customers and agents can access a log of past interactions and keep the conversation going over an extended period.
• Social Media: Eighty-two percent of service organisations use social media channels. Integrate marketing and customer service data to give both teams a single view of the customer. This will help them to better collaborate and determine the appropriate next steps if a customer reaches out with a problem or complaint.
• Email: Email is the most-used service channel, tied with phone support. Customers like email for its convenience. It also gives them the ability to see a written record of their correspondence and the option to add attachments, such as a receipt. With the right customer service technology, you can automatically turn an email into a case and route it to the right service team member.
• Self–service channels: Your help centre, customer portal, and customer community are a first line of defence. Customers use these self-service channels for fast answers to common questions, such as how to recover an online account. This eliminates the need for the customer to reach out through other high-touch channels. In fact, 75% of customers prefer self-service for simple matters.
• Chatbots: Seventy-three percent of decision makers say their organisations use chatbots. Chatbots use AI to analyse data and answer routine questions quickly. Based on the customer’s request, the chatbot shares relevant content. If the case is complex, the chatbot puts the customer in touch with an agent for further support.
• Video: Some cases need face-to-face interaction, but not necessarily in-person service. Examples include rebooting a piece of equipment or replacing a part yourself. That’s why 77% of service organisations report using video support. With visual remote assistance, customers have the option to connect with an agent or technician through video. The expert guides them through the steps to resolve an issue on their own.