83 Customer Support Experts Share Tips for the ‘Age of the Customer’

Article originally appears in Nanorep Blog on June 2, 2016.

Today, we’re in what many experts have dubbed the ‘Age of the Customer,’ an era in which customer centricity is the key to success. Today’s consumers are savvy and they have been conditioned to expect, not only immediate gratification, but also exceptional customer support – both throughout the buying process and after the purchase. Companies that excel in offering streamlined customer support options provide easy access to common questions and offer detailed tutorials for using products. Many of these companies have rich communities that share advice, opinions, and innovative ideas for getting more out of their purchases.

But what changes should companies be considering to improve their customer support process in this age of the customer? To gain some insight into the key elements of top-notch customer support in the modern, customer-centric climate, we asked a panel of more than 80 customer service and support professionals, marketing and sales pros, and business executives from a multitude of verticals to answer the following question:

“What’s the most important thing companies need to change about their support process in the ‘age of the customer’?”

Find out what our experts had to say below.

Ray McKenzie

@redbeachadv

Raymond (Ray) McKenzie is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Red Beach Advisors and an Associate with the Predictive Group. With more than 15 years of experience as a senior business executive and consultant leading global organizations ranging from start-ups to large enterprises, Mr. McKenzie has significant experience with business and departmental strategy, customer success and service, process development, project management, and operational excellence.

“In the age of the customer, companies need to modify and enhance their support processes to…”

Pay more attention to client and customer interaction. Companies need to focus on interaction with their products and services and also the feedback from customers on social media. Companies need to
increase their level of engagement with customers and clients to ensure customers are actually using what they have paid for. If customers and clients are paying for service, but not using your products and services, the risk of churn increases dramatically along with reducing the ability for those customers and clients to refer your services to other people and companies. The lack of usage or enhancement may mean short term revenue for the company, but over the long term of your company this damages churn and retention along with the ability for other customers and clients to hear about and purchase your products and services.

Companies also need to include or increase Internet and social media management oversight to their customer support organizations. Social media has become a primary method of communication and sharing and it has become a central form of communication for customers. If a company does well, it may be posted on the Internet and social media. If a company does not do well or a customer is dissatisfied, there is a much higher chance it will be broadcast on social media and the Internet. Keeping a pulse on your customer feedback on the Internet and social media needs to be a primary initiative for all companies.

To read the full article go to http://www.nanorep.com/83-experts-share-age-of-the-customer-tips