Most businesses these days understand the importance of customer support. To be competitive, you must ensure your customers feel cared for. Yet, many companies don’t realize that customer support should be available 24/7. Or worse yet, they think customer support 24/7 is too difficult or expensive. Thankfully, the availability and benefits of offering always-on support to your customers far outpace the hurdles to get there. In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of having customer support 24/7 and how you can overcome any barriers that might stand in your way!
The benefits of round-the-clock support
First, let’s talk about the good stuff. In their 2022 State of Customer Care Survey, McKinsey & Company found that driving a simplified customer experience while reducing call volumes and costs is among the top three priorities for companies. Here are five more reasons to back up always-on support.
1. Increased customer satisfaction
Customers appreciate the convenience of getting help at any time of day or night. This can lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, research has shown that customers are more likely to buy when their queries are answered in under a minute. One great way to offer this type of service is through a chatbot on your website. An even better option is using automated SMS messages.
2. Improved customer retention
By providing customer service 24/7, businesses can let customers help themselves when and how they prefer. This creates higher customer retention levels as customers will be less likely to switch to another company if they know they can get help quickly and easily.
3. More sales
You read that right. The same systems and practices that power a 24/7 customer support operation can also help sales. Automation can help because it requires fewer people and connects your backend systems. You could create automatic, repeatable sales processes depending on your business’s sales.
Automate Your Work
Capacity’s enterprise AI chatbot can help:
- Answer FAQs anytime, anywhere
- Find relevant documents within seconds
- Give surveys and collect feedback
4. Brand awareness and loyalty
Providing customer service 24/7 demonstrates a commitment to customers, which can create brand awareness and loyalty among them. Customers will more likely trust a company that is always available when they need it most.
5. Increased productivity
Having a team available around the clock means that problems get solved faster, which leads to increased productivity for the business overall. And, having an efficient system for responding quickly to inquiries helps save time and resources in the long run and improves the customer experience overall.
Hurdles that keep companies from offering customer support 24/7
Offering customer support 24/7 can be challenging for some companies, as it may not be feasible due to various barriers. Here are three obstacles that may prevent a company from making the decision.
1. Resource constraints
Many assume offering customer support 24/7 requires significant resources, like hiring additional staff, providing training overheads, IT infrastructure upgrades, etc. Smaller companies with limited resources may feel like this alone makes it impossible. The good news is automation and advances in technology like AI have made the tools more available and accessible than they’ve ever been.
2. Time zone differences
Operating on a 24/7 basis means that customer support staff will be required to work around the clock in various time zones. This can lead to scheduling difficulties and staffing shortages, particularly for smaller companies with limited workforce. Small companies can gain ground here. Adding automation and connecting your systems lets a small team operate at scale, making your company feel more trustworthy.
3. Security considerations
Having customer support 24/7 requires access to sensitive customer data, and this can pose significant security risks. Companies have to address IT security risks and identify strategies to mitigate them. This makes choosing the right technology partner crucial. Always take the time to find a vendor who has an eye on security, so they can keep your company’s and your customer’s data safe.
You’re not alone if any of these hurdles are in your way. Many companies avoid the idea of operating their customer support around the clock, but those who can look past the small barriers and see the benefits will ultimately leap ahead of their competitors.
Measuring ROI for 24/7 support
The ROI of customer service is an essential metric for businesses to measure when offering customer support 24/7. Measuring the ROI of customer service can help a company understand how much value they are getting from its investment in providing customer support 24/7. A business can determine if its investment is paying off by tracking the number of customers served, the time spent on each call, and the cost of providing this service. Additionally, analyzing customer feedback and surveys can provide valuable insights into how customers view the level of service they receive.
There are several tactics that businesses can use to measure their ROI when offering round-the-clock support effectively. First, it is essential to provide training or education for team members to be well-equipped to handle customer inquiries and complaints. Additionally, businesses should use customer feedback to create new processes or procedures that will improve the overall experience for customers. Finally, businesses should track repeat customers and analyze their interactions with the company to identify areas where improvements could be made.
By taking these steps and measuring the ROI of their customer support services, businesses can ensure maximum value from their investments and provide an excellent customer experience.
Providing YOUR customer support
Ultimately, it’s up to your business to decide what makes your customer support a vital part of your brand. Choose which metrics you want to track and improve. Is it speed to answer? Maybe first contact resolution or a number of reviews left by your customers. No matter what aspect you want to grow, offering automated 24/7 customer support is a great way to save money, speed up processes, increase accuracy, and make your small team mighty.
Looking for a quick way to implement customer support 24/7? Try Capacity for free now!
