In Customer Service Trends 2021, technology is a big part of the story. There are too many companies who offer a quick fix to their customers. They promise an easy solution to a complicated problem and then deliver the same product or a less effective product that does not fix it.
The product provides an equally poor experience. It seems that as soon as they go into the equation, that customer service gets shoved to the back burner and replaced with techno-jargon. In the end, this frustrates the customers. Are you really providing solutions that will work effectively for your customer?
Customer Service Trends in 2021: Strive to Provide Value for Money
Customers want value for money; they want a company that will go the extra mile to customer service. 2020 has really exposed that most customer service departments are not really about what is best for the customer. They are more about profits.
The world has become one whole grab-and-go scheme. Most businesses do not realize what matters is what the customer experiences beyond your interaction with them. For instance, in our Delivering Excellent Customer Experiences During Black Friday 2020 series, Mike Aoki talked about upselling ethically.
When you upsell, are you giving your customer something of value, or is your goal to empty your shelves? If your goal is providing value, you need to provide a service or a product that will actually be useful to them.
Innovation, Collaboration, and Crisis management will Affect Customer Service Trends in 2021
There are three main buzzwords that I hear all the time when talking to clients: innovation, collaboration, and crisis management. These buzzwords suggest that clients want to see a change in how that particular company does things. They want innovation, collaboration, and crisis management on the same platform.
When your customers give feedback or complain, what do you do to address the issues?
This is possible now with omnichannel support systems and real-time collaboration. It is the same idea that Amazon used to sell books using a bookstore-within-the-store model. They found that once they started offering ebooks people actually wanted in their stores, customers actually bought more. This shows that customer service exists to solve people’s problems, providing what they need and want. There is no point in providing a top-notch product or service that does not address a problem.
What’s neat about the digital format is that you can provide real-time customer support via social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook and provide instant answers and responses. This way, you can get real feedback on what you need to improve and how you can provide value.
Continue to Provide training that addresses trends in Customer service.
We have established time and time again that continuous learning is critical in customer service. This is one industry where trends are ever-changing.
Today it seems that many businesses are turning to omnichannel support systems. They realize that as they get many more sales soon, they put a customer service representative on an interactive call, tan if they just sent a representative out to the frontlines.
They can give their sales team and agents more training, more tools, and the ability to keep better track of and respond to customer questions. It is even better now because you can do this virtually.
In fact, many businesses have set up their own dedicated customer service departments to address a particular issue. When a company grows and has different departments dealing with different issues, you also need to specialize in customer service issues.
The goal is to ensure that all business members know exactly what to do when a customer has a question or a concern in a particular area.
Maximize on real-time customer support
This is one of the trends that we will be watching closely in the next two or three years. Some companies provide a social media customer service group for their clients. Many have launched their first self-service customer support application that customers can use from their home. Here’s what it looks like:
Be Modern
It looks very slick and modern. When you look at it, you may wonder why real-time customer support is included. But once you see how easy it is to use and how many businesses have already picked it up, you will understand why this technology is necessary.
Many businesses have found that real-time customer support is just what they need to provide an even higher service level to their customers. They can get in touch with their agents in minutes rather than waiting hours for a phone call.
It is important to integrate your technology with omnichannel support systems to provide businesses with a way to expand their customer base with mobile devices. This is a trend that will continue to grow in the future. With the rise of smartphones and smartphones with cameras, consumers want to stay in touch and do business. That means your customer service website needs to be more compatible with mobile devices.
Keep up with trending technology.
Know and understand what technologies are trending in customer service. For instance, there has been a rise in ADA website compliance law suites. While you make your customer service platforms more friendly for your customers, are you catering to all demographics, including the disabled? Since most businesses are moving online, you have t ensure that every aspect, especially customer service, is inclusive.
All of these trends are important to monitor. Every year many new technologies are introduced that can help improve customer service. If you want to make sure that you and your employees remain up to date on the latest customer service trends, you will want to keep yourself abreast of the technology out there. Get the best information available by signing up for industry news and updates directly from the customer service industry’s leading sources.
Please Comment
- Which trends do you think will dominate 2021 in customer service?
- What important lessons have you learned in 2020 that will help improve your customer experience in 2021?
- Which aspects do you think are more important to address in customer service in 2021?
Jim Rembach is the Editor in Chief of the Customer Service Weekly and it’s Podcast host. He is President of CX Global Media and the creator of the Call Center Coach Virtual Leaders Academy. As the host of the Fast Leader Show Podcast, he has interviewed hundreds of experts, authors, academics, researchers, and practitioners on various angles, viewpoints, and perspectives for improving the customer experience. He has held positions in retail operations, contact centers, customer support, customer success, sales, and measured the customer experience. He is a certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner, Employee Retention Specialist, and recipient of numerous industry awards.