5 Nifty Cost-effective Tools for Start-ups and SMEs to Boost their Customer Service
Quality customer service doesn’t only mean responding quickly to customer queries, it also requires businesses to ensure that their customers feel valued in these exchanges. However, this may be tough for certain start-ups or SMEs which may not have the resources to invest in a full-fledged department for their customers’ inquiries.
Fortunately, there are technological tools and software available to help such companies manage customer queries and even improve their customer service performance, allowing them to tend to their customers’ needs in a much more effective and efficient way!
Here are five nifty cost-effective tools to aid start-ups and SMEs in providing outstanding customer service:
Streamline Processes with Help Desk Solutions
Need to streamline your customer service processes but don’t know where to start? How about trying out help desk tools? A good help desk software can really help to increase efficiency, particularly for frequently asked questions, where answers can be easily added to your help desk library. This will give customer service staff more time to focus on resolving complex issues by delegating common queries to a specific platform.
Furthermore, these help desk tools can automatically sort out customer issues, which helps to streamline your customer service process. Even better, many provide data analysis and insights to improve performance. Zendesk, Desk or HappyFox are examples of help desk software that boast the above features. Free trials are available for businesses interested to try these solutions out.
Make use of Surveys for After-service Feedback
To obtain a good sense of customer satisfaction, an online survey platform can be of great help. Gathering customer feedback can thus help improve your customer service process in the future.
If you’re keen to get timely after-service responses from your customers, try SurveyGizmo, a software which regularly sends customers emails to gather feedback on their customer service experience. A free, limited version is available for those who are not ready to invest in their fleet of paid plans.
Create Conversations through Live Chats
Live chats can tremendously boost sales. For customers, it’s an easy method to get a question answered almost instantly by a customer service officer. Additionally, with automated chats, more conversations can be started with customers to provide extra assistance. This will translate into more time spent on your website, which could potentially help upsell your products.
A good live chat service is Olark, which integrates many third-party business products to streamline customer service with the rest of your operations. It even offers a free version for those who are still on the fence about implementing a live chat function.
Tap on Social Media
Another fantastic tool to add to your customer service arsenal is social media. With billions of people logged in to their social media accounts every day, this platform is one of the most pervasive computer-mediated technologies that is inexpensive and great for collecting organic customer feedback. To help you work around a limited capacity to take calls, creating an online presence can be a great help for your customers to know more about your company, products, and services.
Facebook, for example, has rolled out an in-house Live Chat function, and its Messenger platform is also a great way for customers to ask questions and receive answers. Customers are also able to leave ratings and feedback on business pages, which can help companies get a sense of the value of their products and services in the community.
Go Back to Basics – Pick Up the Phone
In conclusion, even though businesses all over the world are gravitating towards digital and social communication nowadays, a solid phone support service is crucial too. An Invoca survey found that 74% of people who had a poor phone support experience are likely to choose another business the next time they shop for that product. Customers evidently still like communicating over the phone. It is only strategic to ensure customers are always able to contact you on their terms.
Customer service is essential in forging customer impressions and can make or break a business in our competitive landscape today. The right tools and mindset can help businesses make meaningful connections with your community and support them effectively, even for a company with minimal resources. With these tips, you can empower your customer service team and your customers, delighting them with a smile!
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