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Scaling Customer Service in SaaS: Strategies for Customer Service Excellence

As Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions become increasingly popular, so does the competition among its providers. And as it is much cheaper to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones, ensuring scalable and efficient customer service becomes crucial for business success.

However, meeting the growing demand while maintaining high customer satisfaction levels can be challenging. As your user base grows and your SaaS solution matures, you’ll likely receive more requests for new features, or witness changes in customer behavior.
While new functionalities aim to improve the user experience, they can also lead to confusion or uncertainty among your users. Consequently, they may have more questions or seek clarification to fully understand the updated features and their implications.

Addressing these challenges requires a proactive approach to customer service. Your team should be prepared to handle the increased volume of feature requests, ensuring that these suggestions are carefully evaluated and considered for future development.

This article will discuss strategies to effectively manage scalability challenges in SaaS solutions when it comes to customer service excellence.

Strategies for scaling Customer Service in SaaS

1. Introduce a Customer Success Manager

SaaS brands must balance providing functional software and exceptional service to satisfy their customers. According to Vendr, the average medium-sized company spends $2.81 million annually or $9.762 per employee on SaaS. Despite this sizeable investment, many companies need help implementing and measuring their acquired tools’ ROI effectively.

When users do not fully adopt a product or experience UX issues, they become frustrated and will likely cancel their subscription. This, in turn, leads to customer churn and lost revenue for SaaS companies, which must invest money in customer acquisition to replace that lost revenue.

Introducing a Customer Success Manager whose main focus is to build strong relationships with customers, ensure their success, and drive customer retention, is an effective way for companies to reduce churn, increase customer satisfaction and retention, and ultimately boost revenue.

2. Understand and anticipate demand

To successfully manage scalability challenges, it is vital to understand and anticipate customer demand. By analyzing historical usage patterns and conducting market research, businesses can estimate future growth and plan accordingly. This includes forecasting peak usage periods, identifying potential bottlenecks, and ensuring adequate resources to handle increased demand.

A workforce management (WFM) tool combined with WFM experts that can be set up correctly and interpret essential metrics can be incredibly helpful in understanding and anticipating customer demand. 

These tools can provide real-time data on staffing levels, call volume, and other critical metrics, allowing businesses to adjust their resources accordingly. With the help of experts who can interpret and analyze this data, your business can make informed decisions about staffing levels, scheduling, and other essential factors that impact scalability.

A contact center agent with a headset

3. Automate Processes and Support

Implementing automation in customer service processes can significantly improve scalability. Businesses can handle more customer queries with the same efficiency level by automating routine tasks, such as ticket routing, response acknowledgments, and frequently asked questions. This saves time, reduces manual errors, and allows customer service teams to focus on more complex issues.

4. Invest in a robust Knowledge Base and Self-Service options

Offering self-service options can empower customers and reduce the burden on your customer support teams. By providing a comprehensive knowledge base, interactive tutorials, and easily accessible support resources, customers can find answers to their questions quickly and easily.

5. Leverage AI and Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies can significantly scale customer service operations. Chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI can handle many customer queries simultaneously, providing instant responses and assistance. ML algorithms can also analyze customer data to identify trends, anticipate customer needs, and personalize support experiences.

6. Don’t forget the importance of Human Customer Service

While there is no doubt that AI-powered assistants have revolutionized the way businesses interact with their customers, it’s important to remember the value of human customer service. In certain situations, customers may require a more personalized and empathetic approach that can only be provided by a human representative.

Human customer service can also help build a stronger customer connection, increasing loyalty and retention. So while AI-powered assistants can be a valuable tool, businesses should be aware of the importance of human interaction for creating a truly great Customer Experience. 

For more on Why chatbots will not replace human agents, head over here.

7. Provide excellent training for your Customer Support Team

Your customer support team is the face of your company, so it’s crucial to provide them with excellent training. Overall, training enhances customer satisfaction, improves interactions, and maintains a positive brand image through:

  • providing product and service knowledge
  • equipping representatives with conflict resolution skills
  • ensuring representatives understand the brand and company
  • improving efficiency and productivity
  • helping representatives adapt to changing needs
  • fostering continuous improvement

8. Regularly monitor KPIs

For optimum scalability, it’s important to consistently keep an eye on real-time analytics and performance metrics, like system efficiency and support ticket resolution metrics.

It’s also essential to track important customer success metrics, including:

  1. Customer Retention Rate: Percentage of retained customers over a period. 
  2. Customer Churn Rate: Percentage of lost customers in a timeframe. 
  3. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): Quick Customer Satisfaction survey using a rating scale. 
  4. Product Adoption: Usage frequency and milestone achievements.
  5. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Estimated total revenue from a customer’s lifecycle.
  6. Net Revenue Retention (NRR): Percentage of revenue retained considering cancellations, upgrades, and downgrades.

6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

These strategies will do exactly that and more.

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Conclusion

Managing scalability challenges in SaaS solutions is crucial for achieving customer service excellence. Introducing a Customer Success Manager, understanding and anticipating customer demand, automating processes and support, investing in a robust knowledge base and self-service options, leveraging AI and machine learning, valuing human customer service, providing excellent training for the customer support team, and regularly monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) are all essential steps in achieving scalability and delivering exceptional customer service in the SaaS industry. By prioritizing these strategies, businesses can position themselves for success in the highly competitive SaaS market while retaining and satisfying their valuable customer base.

FrontLogix is a next-gen Customer Experience (CX) BPO that skillfully merges technology with human assistance. Our use of automated experiences reflects our commitment to staying ahead of the curve while never losing sight of the importance of human interaction. We believe that this balance is key to fostering authenticity and brand loyalty among our customers. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you ace your Customer Support.

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Customer Support Agents at work

The growing significance of excellent Customer Experience in the Automotive Aftermarket

These days, Customer Experience (CX) is a hot topic in many industries.

With digital technology giving customers more access to information and more control over their purchasing decisions, it’s no surprise that online commerce experiences are becoming more common.

While we often think of online shopping in terms of retail, it’s worth exploring why CX and customer service are becoming increasingly important in the Automotive aftermarket. There are two primary reasons for this.

Reason No 1: The average age of vehicles is increasing

The global microchip shortage, combined with better-quality vehicles and longer car loans, means that the average age of cars in the U.S. has risen from 10.9 years in 2010 to 13.6 years in 2023. As a result, there is a growing demand for replacement parts, which is leading to growth in the Automotive Aftermarket industry.

Chart with average age by vehicle type in years

The Automotive Aftermarket is currently valued at approximately €800.0 billion and is expected to grow annually by 3 percent, reaching €1.2 trillion by 2030, as reported by McKinsey.

Reason No 2: A new generation of customers is emerging – millennials

 By 2025, almost 45% of car buyers will be millennials. 

We’ve discussed Liquid Expectations, and how they have become fluid across industries. The millennial generation, being digital natives,  benchmark customer experience to technology pioneers that rely heavily on customer experience. These industry trailblazers have effectively raised the bar for customer experience not only within their own sectors but across all industries.

Convenience has become key, and millennials expect:

  • hassle-free online shopping experiences
  • vast selection of products
  • easy navigation and search functions
  • multiple payment options
  • free, fast shipping
  • personalization through customized recommendations and tailored promotions
  • omnichannel customer support around the clock

The unique customer service challenges in the automotive aftermarket e-commerce

The automotive aftermarket involves many players and processes, such as OEMs, parts distributors, workshops, fleet operators, and end customers. Each of these players has different needs and expectations, and transactions are often complicated by factors such as vehicle compatibility, warranty, quality, and availability.

To provide a seamless and satisfying CX, the automotive aftermarket e-commerce sector needs to simplify processes, automate manual and repetitive tasks, and safeguard the supply chain for enhanced customer service and revenues, especially in times of disruption or uncertainty.

Key strategies to enhance the customer experience in the automotive aftermarket e-commerce

So, what are some key strategies to enhance CX in the Automotive aftermarket industry?

  • Partner with a CX Expert
    Seek a customer experience partner who possesses in-depth knowledge not only of CX strategies but also of the specific dynamics of the automotive and transportation industry. This expertise should encompass areas such as identifying parts, part sourcing, order processing, fraud detection, and more. A specialized partner can provide tailored solutions and help optimize your business processes. 
  • Embrace CX Trends
    Find a BPO who stays updated with the latest developments in the CX sphere. Look for a partner capable of developing comprehensive strategies rather than just offering solutions. Leveraging customer data effectively, these strategies can enhance CX while simultaneously reducing costs.
  • Strategic Expansion of Existing Support Teams
    Consider augmenting your existing support teams by integrating professionals who act as powerful extensions of your current workforce. These individuals should be trained to match the standards of your existing representatives and demonstrate expert knowledge of your systems and workflows. By integrating seamlessly, they can contribute to improving operations without necessitating major changes to your business structure.

In conclusion

As the automotive aftermarket e-commerce industry continues to grow and adapt, effective CX strategies become imperative in fostering loyalty and delivering a superior customer experience.

By partnering with CX experts, staying attuned to industry trends, and expanding existing support teams strategically, businesses can optimize their customer support processes and ensure long-term success.

With the rapid rise of e-commerce, which allows for the modification of business models and the adoption of new ways of communicating with customers, automotive suppliers and distributors are under pressure to transition quickly.

6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

These strategies will do exactly that and more.

Get Your Free Guide

We not only know all about CX, but we also know all there is to know about the Automotive & Transportation industry.
This industry-specific knowledge is what separates FrontLogix as a signal from the noise, making us the ideal companion in navigating the changing Automotive & Transportation industry.
Get a quote today.

Woman smiling

Next Generation CX: Top trends and strategies

It is no longer debatable whether a company should provide next generation CX. The new and vastly improved customer experience has become the new norm and something that customers expect. Getting there is your challenge. Here are eight emerging trends and strategies that will shape your Next-Gen CX:

1. Omnichannel experience

Today’s customers expect effortless engagements and frequently choose web or mobile self-service as their initial point of contact with companies. As they navigate across touchpoints, customers expect continuity. In other words, they seek seamless and accurate support whenever they need it, on the channel of their choice, and without compromising on quality.

2. AI-powered chatbots

CX leaders are putting more focus on self-service and live agent deflection. They are expanding their knowledge bases with more multimedia content, combining them with AI-powered chatbots to assist customers in reaching a successful resolution. And while chatbots can resolve a customer request in 2 seconds, around 78% of the time, skilled customer success agents emphasize the human approach.

As a result, increasing automated self-service tools are at the top of customer service leaders’ priority lists. In fact, customers prefer automated interactions for simple tasks but talking to real people for more sophisticated and complex issues.

[Read Next] Next-Generation CX & Omnichannel Support

3. Upskilled personal support

Increased digitalization means increased digital saturation. Even as digital channels and self-service options become more popular, customers still expect agents to be ready to step in if their self-help options fail.

Well-trained customer service representatives use emotional intelligence combined with diverse communication skills to develop stronger client relationships. Customers value intimate relations with a business and want to be seen as individuals.

In fact, according to customers, access to a live agent is still in the top three requirements when it comes to a positive digital experience.

4. Personalized experiences

The significant surge in online interactions during the pandemic has raised expectations, exposing consumers to the personalization practices of online pioneers and raising the bar for everyone else.

As a result, 71 percent of consumers expect companies to provide personalized interactions, and 76 percent get frustrated when this does not happen, according to research.

Furthermore, highly personalized customer experiences are difficult to replicate. Such experiences allow businesses to differentiate themselves and gain a sustainable competitive advantage when executed well.

Personalized end-to-end customer journeys

Since there’s no one-size-fits-all approach for satisfying an entire customer base, a personalized end-to-end customer journey will provide a uniquely positive experience. Personalized touchpoints include:

·        Live chats and user-friendly contact forms on websites
·        Building custom audiences and directing ads to the right people
·        Tailored promotions that feel personal
·        Relevant service or product recommendations based on purchasing and browsing history
·        Notifying customers when a product they’ve been browsing goes on sale
·        Up-to-date in-stock information for stores near the customer
·        Post-purchase check-in

5. Reinventing Customer Loyalty

Personalized loyalty programs go hand in hand with customized experiences. They give an incentive for customers to share personal information because they know it will be used to benefit them.

According to the Generation Pay report by FIS, different generations prefer different rewards delivered via different channels. Loyalty programs are an excellent way to personalize the customer journey and increase customer satisfaction and retention by utilizing relevant data.

Even if your customers aren’t providing you with detailed information, tracking order history, current service subscriptions, and your customers’ locations can help you deliver relevant content and offers.

Man with a VR headset on, smiling

6. Adopting Extended Reality (XR)

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term for Mixed Reality (MR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR). What social platforms discovered a while ago – that people love fun augmented reality filters – brands are now seeing as new opportunities to create engaging customer experiences. Microsoft’s HoloLens and IKEA’s Place are just two examples of 3D avatars that allow you to “try before you buy.”

XR provides limitless opportunities for creating novel customer experiences. Because it is still in its early stages, businesses that embrace it will have an advantage over their competitors. Consumers appear to be ready for immersive virtual reality experiences, owing to the fact that XR shows rather than tells.

7. Focusing on First-Party Data

With the rapid movement towards digitalization, significant risks are emerging. Data breaches and the ambiguous third-party data marketplace have made consumers wary about who is collecting their information and how it will be used. As a result, browsers and government regulators have taken a firmer stance on data privacy, as evidenced by initiatives such as the GDPR and the phaseout of third-party cookies.

To adapt to this privacy-first landscape, businesses need to focus on data collected directly by the company. This first-party data also promotes a more open relationship with the customers. According to a survey by Twilio Segment, 69% of consumers say they value personalization as long as it is based on information they have directly shared with a business.

8. Implementing Chief Customer Officers

As the value of the customer comes to the forefront for businesses, the C-suite welcomes a new member. Please give a warm welcome to the Chief Customer Officer. According to Gartner’s Customer Experience Management Study, more than 90% of enterprises now have a CCO.

Previously, multiple executives shared responsibility for fostering a customer-centric culture and expanding revenue opportunities with existing customers. The CCO now wholly owns these domains,  in charge of everything customer-related. A CCO’s key focus is to prepare, educate, and streamline organizations toward the best customer-centric practices.

6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

These strategies will do exactly that and more.

Get Your Free Guide

Conclusion

The only constant about trends is that they are constantly changing.

Nonetheless, AI-powered chatbots, Omnichannel, Hybrid Customer Experience Model, Personalization, Extended Reality, and First-Party Data continue to be CX buzzwords on trend lists year after year. Keeping up with rising customer expectations starts with implementing a Chief Customer Officer and reinventing Customer Loyalty.

These are just some of the trends and strategies we see driving the Next-Gen CX in the following years. FrontLogix is committed to being a thought leader in this space and delivering relevant, personalized solutions for our clients. Contact us today!

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Employee Experience as the New Customer Experience

Here we explain how Employee Experience (EX) drives Customer Experience and list best practices for ensuring an excellent EX.

In the wake of the Big Quit, we are witnessing a significant shift in power when recruiting and retaining staff, with employees taking stock of their career goals and deciding to switch jobs.

This trend has put a significant dent in customer experience. Longer wait times and less personalized service have led to a less-than-stellar CX, resulting in customer drop-offs.

And what just a few years ago was low on the priority list, C-suites are now placing EX at the same importance level as CX.

What is Employee Experience (EX)?

Employee Experience is an employee’s overall perception of their employer based on their interactions with the company throughout the 5 Employee Lifecycle Stages: recruitment, onboarding, development, retention, and exit.

EX includes everything from the work environment to the benefits offered and the level of support and training management provides.

The connection between Customer Experience and Employee Experience

Employee Experience impacts the Customer Experience in three ways:

A man yelling over the phone

Employees manifest their (dis)satisfaction in the work and interactions with customers

We are all human, after all. When feeling stressed out, it is reflected in our actions and words. Unhappy employees will manifest their disengagement in their work and interactions with customers.

Let’s face it ‒ there are bound to be some disgruntled customers. It’s the employee’s job to stay positive and professional, even with demanding or impatient customers. 

When stressed out, overworked, or feeling undervalued, even a single misused word could be the last drop in a cup full of negative emotions. This mood will then get transferred onto the next customers, eventually souring the Customer Experience with the brand altogether with the Employee Experience.

On the other hand, happy employees are more likely to go above and beyond to help a customer. When feeling valued by the managers and satisfied with their job, a negative experience won’t dampen their spirits. Just like a little hiccup in an otherwise smooth ride, employees will continue to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work.

Happy employees that stay with you longer are more knowledgeable than newbies

A company is only as strong as its team, and a team is only as loyal as its employer. When you give great EX to your employees, they will stay with the company longer. You’ll have a team that’s experienced and knowledgeable, who knows your products and services inside out, can finish tasks quicker, and has a deep understanding of the company’s operations. Their efficiency and expertise will naturally translate to the standard of CX that your customers experience.

Satisfied employees spread positive word of mouth

Customers want to do business with brands that take a public stand on social values and positive employee experience.

Your employees could be your biggest brand ambassadors ‒ or your biggest enemy. A disgruntled (ex) employee damaging your good reputation on social media can do severe damage. Be sure to take care of your people, and they’ll take care of your brand.

Some quick stats:

70% of consumers think businesses should address social and political issues publicly; 

77% of consumers believe employees have a responsibility to speak up when their company makes decisions that go against the stated values;

51% of consumers think social media is the best platform for employees to express these concerns.
(Sprout Social)

Employee Experience Best Practices

The hard truth is that Millennials and Gen Z are least likely to stay at their jobs. To retain your employees, you must offer more than just a ‘good enough’ workplace. Here are the four best practices for delivering an excellent Employee Experience.

Opportunities for growth foster a sense of loyalty

Three girls laughing while working in a coworking place

Investing in employee training and development is a win-win situation for both employees and the company. Companies can stay competitive by having a highly skilled staff knowledgeable about recent trends and technologies.

On the other hand, learning new skills and having a clear career path heavily influence employee job satisfaction. The 2018 Workplace Learning Report by LinkedIn revealed that 94% of employees would stay with a company longer if the company made efforts to enhance their professional growth.

A more recent Gallup survey reveals that career growth opportunities are among the most significant factors in retaining employees. The survey found that 57% of American employees wish to improve their skills, and 65% consider employer-provided upskilling essential when considering a potential new job. On the flip side, 48% would switch jobs if offered skill training elsewhere.

Flexibility for productivity

Employers who embrace flexibility are more likely to retain top talent, attract employees from a wider variety of backgrounds, create a positive and supportive work environment ‒ and ultimately achieve greater success.

Research has consistently shown that employees who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to be engaged and committed to their organization. Embracing flexibility means recognizing that different employees respond differently to various incentives and perks.

For example, some employees may prefer flexible working hours or remote work, while others might favor taking vacation leave in smaller chunks instead of a full two weeks.

In addition to improving employee retention and productivity, flexibility can contribute to a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Employers can attract and retain workers from a wider variety of backgrounds and experiences by providing a range of options for working arrangements.

positive employee experience

Micromanagement is the bane

Micromanagement is the bane of productivity in any workplace. Not only does it create a toxic work environment, but it can also drive away your most talented employees. When employees feel that they are not trusted or respected, it can lead to tension and conflict in the workplace. This can create a toxic environment where employees are unhappy to come to work and may result in high turnover rates.

Instead, practice a management style focused on results rather than the process.

Employee experience suffers from outdated applications

The trend toward consumerization of IT ‒ where employees expect their work technology to be as good as their personal one ‒ has only accelerated over the past year. Employee Experience suffers from clunky, old software. It slows everything down and makes employees waste time on repetitive, low-value tasks instead of focusing on what matters. Younger employees, in particular, want to work for companies with modern systems to support an engaged and energized workforce. 

With so many people working from home, employees rely more on technology to help them do their jobs. And if that technology is inefficient, remote work can become challenging.

The Conclusion

As we emerge from the Great Resignation and navigate a new era of work, one thing is clear: Customer Experience is only as good as the Employee Experience.

From offering flexible schedules to investing in cutting-edge technology, there are countless ways that businesses can prioritize EX and reap the rewards of a happier, more productive workforce.

By investing in EX, companies can attract and retain top talent, inspire their employees, and create a positive work environment that translates into an exceptional customer experience.

6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

These strategies will do exactly that and more.

Get Your Free Guide
Customer support agents talking

Customer Advocacy Language in Customer Care

Somebody will contact you … (In an hour, in a day, or in a month?) 

You’ve called the wrong department. Dial again and choose the correct extension…

Customers are willing to sit through yet another ‘Opus No. 1’ or ‘Only Time‘ musical track only when facing tricky and urgent matters. That’s why, for simpler questions, we’ve got self-service and chatbots to help, without the hassle of waiting on hold. We expect a robotic response from a robot, but when contacting a human representative, we need them to understand us, plead on our behalf, and provide a solution to the best of their ability.

This is what Customer Advocacy is all about.

To communicate that care over the phone or live chat, the language used makes all the difference. This is where the concept of Customer Advocacy Language comes into play.

In this blog post, we will review what Customer Advocacy Language is, explain why it is important, and provide a list of nine best practices and useful specific phrases to use in your customer service.

Jump to:

What is Customer Advocacy Language?
Why is Customer Advocacy Language important?
Customer Advocacy Language: 9 best practices with examples
1. Use the power of personalization
2. Use positive language
3. Avoid passive voice
4. Remove the “Us versus Them” dynamics
5. Avoid politely masked passive-aggressive phrases
6. Maintain a consistent tone throughout
7. Don’t waffle
8. Don’t get too technical
9. Show empathy

What is Customer Advocacy Language?

Customer Advocacy Language is a set of communication strategies, soft skills, choice of language, tone and phrases that your customer-facing teams should incorporate to demonstrate a commitment to customer satisfaction.

Advocacy is defined as any act that endorses, supports, defends, speaks in favor of, or pleads on behalf of others. The focus of Customer Advocacy Language is on building a positive relationship with the customer and creating a sense of trust and reliability.

Why is Customer Advocacy Language important?

Over the phone, the lack of body language and visual cues makes tone and language vital for effective and clear communication.

Your customer service representatives are (literally) the voice of your company. Every word said is one that your customers will associate with your brand.

It’s essential to convey empathy and support the customers’ needs in every conversation. Words have the power to shape thought. Even a single misused word that doesn’t align with the customer’s mindset can give the impression of insensitivity.

Customer Advocacy Language in Customer Care: 9 best practices with examples

1. Use the power of personalization

“A person's name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” 
– Dale Carnegie.

Personalization through name mention

Addressing the customer by name establishes a bond in which you identify them as a named human being and more than just another ticket. When interacting with a new customer, politely ask for their name and use it throughout the conversation. For returning customers, consult your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to find their contact details. This will leave your customer feeling like their needs have been cared for by someone who truly understands them. 

However, make sure the name-mentioning doesn’t sound forced, scripted, or overdone. A good rule of thumb is to mention their name at the beginning and end of the conversation.  

The trick here is to strike the right balance between professional and personable. Avoid using overly friendly or informal language, as it can undermine your credibility and authority.

Personalization with a CRM tool

Use a CRM tool to take personalization to the next level. This software lets you organize relevant customer contact details, previous interaction with the service, frequent concerns, purchasing history and more ‒ displayed in a timeline layout. That way you can anticipate their query and needs based on previous interactions.

Personalized incentives

Instead of offering one-size-fits-all incentives, use the information you already have on your customer to reward them with personalized perks. VIP programs, loyalty points, personalized discounts, freebies, surprise gifts, exclusive events, and early access, are all examples of different incentive types.

Did you know: 71% of customers want companies to provide personalized experiences, and 76% are left frustrated when this does not happen. (McKinsey)

2. Use positive language

Working in support involves dealing with customers who are experiencing problems with your product or service, and you might experience some emotionally-charged scenarios. Your job is to provide effective solutions to customers’ problems while maintaining a positive and professional attitude.

This means using words and phrases that communicate positive connotations.

  Positive language examples:

Avoid negative action words such as ‘won’t’ and ‘can’t’ that sound dismissive. Instead, focus on what you can do.

Instead of “That item is not available” try replacing it with “That item is currently out of stock, but I’ll be able to pre-order it for you. Would you like me to go ahead with that?”

Or instead of, “This is the hard part,” say, “This is the interesting part.”

Try replacing ‘You’ statements with ‘I’ statements and probing questions instead. That way, you show initiative, care, and responsibility while working together on finding a solution.

Instead of “You should call another department,” you can say, “I can transfer you to the right department.”

Or “You haven’t fully charged the battery” can be replaced with a probing question: “Have you tried fully charging the battery?”

3. Avoid passive voice

There is no faster way to lose customers’ trust in your business than to use the passive voice to distance yourself from accountability. This is particularly true when responding to customer complaints, as it may appear that you are not acknowledging responsibility.

True, customer service agents may feel tempted to use the passive voice in hopes of avoiding becoming the target of a customer’s wrath. But, wrong word choice can only aggravate an already irritated customer.

Instead of “There is a payment issue…” use “I have found the source of the issue, the payment…”

Keep in mind that using the active voice communicates a more personal and casual tone. Passive voice appears deceptive, lacks clarity and directness, and can lead to misunderstandings by failing to clarify who did what.

4. Remove the “Us versus Them” dynamics

“Sorry, that is our policy” is possibly the most annoying customer service phrase.

Customers are already under the idea that they are interacting with a faceless business representative who is biased in favor of the company. By using inclusive language when dealing with customers, you eliminate the Us vs. Them dynamic.

Instead of saying, “Sorry, that is our policy,” consider going the extra mile. Instead, say “We are able to do [ABC] or [XYZ], does either of that sound good to you?”

This way, you are downplaying the negative and offering an option to choose from, which helps your customer feel in control of their choices.

5. Avoid politely masked passive-aggressive phrases

It’s best to steer clear of phrases that appear polite but are actually passive-aggressive. 

Instead of saying, “As you are no doubt aware, our return policy is…,” ‒ simply state the policy. The same goes for “just so you know…” and “for future reference…”

Replace “Correct me if I’m wrong…” and “Let me know if I misunderstood…” with “What I’m seeing here is [XYZ], correct?”

Practice being clear about what you want to say, without hiding behind overly polite or passive language.

6. Maintain a consistent tone throughout 

It is easy to unintentionally adopt a dismissive and closed-off tone when the customer is asking seemingly basic questions after a long conversation. However, it’s important to remember that even though representatives may deal with similar issues every day, each customer’s problem is unique and unfamiliar to them.

Try to keep a consistently warm and friendly tone throughout the entire conversation. For example, instead of asking, “Would that be all?” ‒ which may come across as cold or dismissive ‒ try asking, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

This demonstrates your willingness to be of service and makes the other person feel valued and respected ‒ no matter how trivial their issue is.

Tip: If your service reps are receiving multiple support requests for the same issue, consider developing a business-specific knowledge base that includes frequently asked questions and their solutions.

7. Don’t waffle

Customers only want their problem resolved so they can get back to their day ‒ and you have other tickets in the queue. Use brief, clear statements without getting bogged down in too many details. Focus on addressing their issue while providing additional information only if needed.

However, when trying to keep things short and sweet, make sure you don’t accidentally come across as abrupt. Take the time to ensure you fully understand the issue and that the customer is satisfied with the solution. Even after you’ve resolved the problem, don’t forget to ask if they need help with anything else.

8. Don’t get too technical

“Recalibrate the sensors and do a hard reset…”

It’s important to remember that customers may not be as familiar with the product or technical details as the support representatives. That’s why they’re reaching out for help in the first place! To make things easier for them, try to use simple language that everyone can understand and avoid technical jargon.

9. Show empathy

The definition of advocacy is any activity that advocates, endorses, promotes, defends, or appeals on behalf of others.

The name says it all ‒ customer care representatives should represent care and plead on behalf of the customers. They should be the friendly faces you reach out to when you need help or have any concerns.

As a customer rep, it’s important to show empathy by acknowledging customers’ feelings. It’s as simple as saying “I understand how frustrating that must be for you” or “I would feel the same way in your situation.” This lets them know you’re listening and that their experience matters to you.

Advocate for your customers and they will become your brand advocates. 

Some quick Customer Service stats: 

89% of customers are more apt to make another purchase after a positive customer service experience (Salesforce).

78% of customers would continue doing business with a company following a negative experience – if the customer care was good (Salesforce).

93% of customers are more likely to make repeat purchases from businesses that provide outstanding customer service. (HubSpot).

83% of customers are more loyal to brands that react to and resolve their complaints (Khoros).

6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

These strategies will do exactly that and more.

Get Your Free Guide

At FrontLogix, we know that customers’ interactions with our agents play a critical role in shaping their overall opinion of your business.

Therefore, we have implemented a rigorous 6-stage recruitment process to vet our customer rep candidates thoroughly. We evaluate their verbal and written communication skills and look for individuals with a “service-oriented” attitude.

Apart from training on each client’s product or service, our bilingual agents undergo Customer Advocacy Language training to improve their etiquette and ensure they can resolve customer inquiries in a single call.
Get in touch to discuss how we can help you level up your Customer Service.

WFM in call and contact centers

Customer Success Management (CSM): What you need to know

In this blog post, we’ll explore what is CSM, what are the 5 fundamental principles of CSM, the role of a Customer Success Manager, and how to measure the success of the CSM program.

First introduced by tech companies, Customer Success Management (CSM) finds its way (and rightly so) into every customer-centered business. Businesses of all sizes have embraced CSM in an attempt to increase retention, revenue, and Customer Lifetime Value.

Let’s start from the top.

What is CSM, exactly?

Customer Success Management (CSM) is the practice of managing customer relationships to maximize customer satisfaction and the value they get from a product or service.

The goal of CSM is to take proactive actions to reduce problems customers may experience with a brand – which helps increase customer loyalty and improve a company’s bottom line. It involves a variety of activities and processes, including onboarding, training, guidance, customer support, and customer feedback.

The 5 fundamental principles of CSM

Below are the five pillars of customer success management that you should know:

  1. Focus on the customer: Creating a customer-focused culture and ensuring that you tailor each interaction with customers to meet their individual needs.
  2. Proactive engagement: CSM involves proactively reaching out to customers to understand their needs and help them achieve their goals.
  3. Collaboration: Customer success management involves collaboration between the customer, Customer Success Managers, and other teams within the company, such as product development and sales.
  4. Monitoring and measuring success: Measuring success through regularly monitoring key metrics will help identify areas where customers may be struggling.
  5. Continuous improvement: CSM should be seen as an ongoing process rather than a one-time project. This includes continuously measuring performance indicators such as retention rates and satisfaction scores.
A woman presenting and writing on a whiteboard with four attentive female colleagues listening in an office environment.

How does a Customer Success Manager (CSM) role fit in?

The role of a Customer Success Manager is to ensure the implementation of  CSM practices. They act as the customers’ voice, cultivating strong customer relationships, and demonstrating that they have their best interests at heart.

Aside from good soft skills, Customer Success Managers must have a strong understanding of the product or service they are selling in order to provide knowledgeable support when needed. 

    Think of CS Managers as a combination of white-glove support and sales experts.

    Customer Success Manager roles and responsibilities:

    • Onboarding of new customers, which includes educating the customer about the product’s features and functionality, defining specific goals, and providing customers with everything they need to be successful and complete those goals.
    • Providing support and guidance to customers to help them get the most value out of the company’s products or services.
    • Responding to customer inquiries and concerns in a timely and professional manner.
    • Identifying and addressing potential issues that may impact customer satisfaction.
    • Upselling and cross-selling the product.
    • Collaborating with other teams within the company to resolve customer issues and identify opportunities for improvement.
    • Analyzing customer data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
    • Developing and implementing customer success plans and programs.
    • Acting as the Voice of the Customer and fostering solid relationships with customers.
    • Collecting feedback and reporting on the effectiveness of customer success initiatives.
    • Building and maintaining solid relationships with customers to encourage loyalty and retention.

    Customer Success Manager traits:

    • Can sympathize with customers and prioritize their needs while establishing long-term ties that go beyond simple rapport.
    • Is adaptable to changing customer needs and expectations, and able to identify and implement solutions quickly.
    • Possesses customer-facing experience, especially in support or sales.
    • Has a thorough understanding of the product, its value, and the results it produces.
    • A proactive and strategic thinker that anticipates future trends.
    • Great leadership, analytical acumen, and problem-solving skills.
    • Strong communication, organizational analysis, and solution focus.
    • Ability to handle stress.
    Customer Success Manager discussing numbers
    Customer Success Management Collaboration
    Managers discussing Customer Success

    Measuring the success of your CSM Program

    One way to measure the effectiveness of the CSM program is to track key metrics such as:

    • Customer Effort Score (CES) measures how much effort is put in by customers to interact with the business.
    • Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) calculates a customer’s total worth to your organization over the course of their relationship with you.
    • Engagement Rate measures the level of interaction and engagement of a group of people with a particular product, service, or organization.
    • Retention Rate measures how many customers continue to use a product, service, or organization over a certain period of time.
    • Net Renewal Rate measures how many customers renew their use of a product, service, or organization over a certain period of time.
    • Customer Health Score reflects the overall well-being of a company’s customer base. It is often used to identify customers who may be at risk of churning or stopping their use of a company’s products or services.
    • Customer Satisfaction Score measures how satisfied customers are with a company’s products or services. It is typically calculated using customer feedback, which can be gathered through surveys, interviews, or other forms of customer research.
    • Expansion Revenue is the additional revenue generated by existing customers as they increase their use of a company’s products or services.
    • Onboarding Engagement Rate measures the level of interaction and engagement of new customers or users with a product, service, or organization during the onboarding process.
    • Daily Active Users (DAU) and Monthly Active Users (MAU) measure the percentage of a company’s user base that is active daily and monthly.

    Depending on the goals of the customer success program and the specific needs of the organization, there might be other, more relevant metrics to be tracked. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, carefully choose the essential metrics and track them over time.

    How FrontLogix can help

    Do you require the services of an experienced Customer Success Manager?

    FrontLogix is a BPO specializing in customer experience (CX) and can assist you with skilled Customer Success Managers to track specific customer KPIs. Above all, we sincerely care about keeping your current subscriber base, exceeding their expectations, and adding additional delighted consumers.

    Find out more

    Sales Support Outsourcing - FrontLogix

    6 things Contact Centers should do in 2024


    Beyond the significant focus on AI by CX decision-makers, there are 6 things Contact Centers should do in 2024 to improve performance, deliver superior CX, and beat the competition.

    Breaking away from negative perceptions

    It’s no secret the reputation of contact centers has been a mixed bag throughout the years. With only 4% of consumers reporting better brand experiences, it’s clear that 2023 wasn’t the best year for contact centers. There’s still a lot of room for improvement in empowering agents and making customers happy.

    Jump to:

    Six things Contact Centers should do in 2024
    1. Decreasing Call Wait Time
    2. Improving First Call Resolution rates
    3. Don’t rush to escalate tickets
    4. Eliminating robotic AI for a more human CX
    5. The desire for a better human connection
    6. Acing CX through omnichannel personalization
    In Summary

    Woman talking on the phone

    6 things Contact Centers should do in 2024

    Contact centers ‒ just as every other business in the CX space ‒ will have to roll up their sleeves to provide exceptional customer experience. As CX has become the primary brand differentiator, 2024 will be the year when the gap between good and outstanding CX widens, with only the best of the best emerging as winners.

    To stay ahead of the curve and make sure that customers have the best possible experience, here are 6 things contact centers should do in 2024:

    Man talking on the phone while working on a laptop

    #1 Decreasing Call Wait Time

    Companies have struggled to win and maintain customer loyalty – battling with complaints of low First Call Resolution (FCR) and long wait times – with customers spending up to 13 hours on hold each year.

    With two-thirds of customers considering switching to a competitor after being placed on hold for too long, the tackling wait times is the first in line for improvement in 2024.

    To do so – embrace moving to the cloud. User-friendly cloud-based call center solutions will let your team scale up or down to meet customer needs. You can operate a work-from-anywhere organization and have an agent on call ready to plug in during unexpected call spikes.

    Also, set up automated skill-based routing and IVR flows. Your company can easily reduce wait times and limit customer frustration by implementing intelligent routing like an automatic call distribution system.

    #2 Improving First Call Resolution rates

    The only thing more frustrating than being placed on hold is waiting on hold and still not getting your issue resolved.

    Train your customer service reps properly. Make sure they have the knowledge and skills to resolve customer issues on the first call. This includes product knowledge, problem-solving skills, and excellent communication skills.

    Also, take a proactive approach to problem-solving. Use customer data to anticipate and address potential issues: By analyzing customer data, you can identify and proactively address common issues that customers experience.

    Finally, regularly track and monitor your FCR rates. If your staff is taking too long to reply to tickets, consider hiring more support staff or outsourcing tickets to an on-demand team.

    #3 Don’t rush to escalate tickets

    This one is tied to the previous item. It’s important to train and challenge reps, so they build the necessary knowledge to address more complex issues.

    The fewer times a ticket is transferred, the fewer times the customer needs to reintroduce themselves or explain their concern, and the faster problems are resolved. Customers will end up frustrated if their ticket could’ve been handled without bouncing from agent to agent.

    Regularly review your escalated tickets to determine what the team may have done differently and whether extra training is required.

    #4 Eliminating robotic AI for a more human CX

    A recent UJET survey found that interacting with a chatbot is a ‘complete waste of time’ for 72% of respondents. As a result, an increasing number of businesses are abandoning bots in favor of human customer service.

    Man in a suit with a headset, looking at a laptop and gesticulating with his hand while smiling.

    Having some automated messages isn’t a bad thing, as long as it’s not the only way customers may contact you. Eliminating useless, robotic-sounding chatbots and replacing them with knowledge-based AI chatbots powered by Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) is a good first step toward human-centered CX.

    #5 The desire for a better human connection

    Emerging from a 2-year period of limited face-to-face communication, people have grown digitally saturated and hungry for human connection. Even with the introduction of new tools such as video chat, messaging apps, and virtual reality, recent studies confirm that the phone call remains the preferred method of communication.

    What does this mean for Contact Centers?

    Apart from investing in product training, train your reps to use customer advocacy language. What every customer wants is someone to speak up for them, prioritize their problems, and genuinely try to find a solution. They want to know that the business truly has their best interests at heart. According to recent research published in the Harvard Business Review, advocacy language lowered consumer effort by 77%.

    Man Having a phone call In front of a laptop in a contact center

    #6 Acing CX through omnichannel personalization

    It is true that many contact centers still struggle with implementing effective omnichannel personalization strategies. This may be due to a variety of factors, including a lack of resources, outdated technology, or a lack of integration between different systems and channels.

    But the benefits of an omnichannel approach shouldn’t be dismissed. Investing in an omnichannel communication platform can return the investment tenfold.

    The most obvious benefit is increased efficiency. When your reps have the entire customer interaction history in front of them, they can easily locate the issue and offer a solution without having to spend time switching between applications. According to Cornell University research, it takes users an average of nine and a half minutes to return to a productive workflow after switching between programs. An omnichannel communication platform eliminates those 9 minutes.

    The second benefit is improved customer experience. Omnichannel personalization enables contact centers to provide a seamless and consistent customer experience across all channels, leading to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and sales.

    6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

    Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

    These strategies will do exactly that and more.

    Get Your Free Guide

    In summary

    At the end of the day, most people just want quick solutions without having to repeat themselves and listen to automated messages for hours on end. Digitally saturated and hungry for meaningful human connections, customers still prefer phone calls to every other channel. While technology allows for quick and efficient new means of service, the humanized customer experience inspires true brand loyalty. Providing an exceptional CX means truly understanding what the customer wants and delivering it quickly, personally, and relevantly. With the loss of purchasing power, 2024 will be the year when the gap between good and outstanding CX widens, with only the best of the best emerging as winners.

    FrontLogix is a next-generation customer experience (CX) BPO company, among the first to embrace automated experiences that combine technology and human assistance.

    We understand that technology is a powerful enabler, but we also recognize that a humanized customer experience is what fosters true brand loyalty.

    Visit our website at frontlogix.com to learn more.

    consumer trends

    6 consumer trends shaping 2023: building a winning customer experience

    With COVID-19 in the rearview mirror and recession lurking around the corner, 2023 is going to be the year of rediscovering business operations and emphasizing digital and human connection. Where does the post-pandemic aftermath leave us, what are the next consumer trends, and how can businesses ace the Customer Experience during the looming economic downturn?

    What has 2022 taught us?

    The actual shift of 2022 was the rise of customers and not businesses.

    In the past few years, we have witnessed a heightened focus on Customer Experience (CX), pushing businesses to pivot their strategies around customer centricity.

    In 2022, companies have refocused their efforts from the products they are selling to the experiences they provide. The latest studies have confirmed that a good customer experience leads to increased customer spending. In fact, 86% of buyers would pay more if they received a great customer experience. Another revolution in business operations was caused by customers’ demand for transparency and authenticity. Data breaches caused customers to become more vigilant about data protection and made organizational transparency a significant factor in their purchasing decisions.

    Apart from transparent data, a company’s authenticity has become increasingly important. Customers are now paying closer attention to what a brand says and does and expecting them to advocate for cultural, social, and environmental issues. According to a Harris Poll, a startling 82% of consumers want a brand’s values to match their own.

    2022 was also marked by growing consumer interest in sustainable brands. According to the latest 2022 Global Buying Green Report by Trivium Packaging, 86% of consumers under the age of 45 are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging. Also, 57% are less likely to purchase goods in packaging that they believe is harmful to the environment.

    2022 has taught us that customers today have the power to influence how a business operates. The company’s values, transparency, social and environmental practices, and the CX they deliver play a significant role in the company’s future success. These factors play a much more important role in the eyes of the customers than the product or service.

    What are the 6 consumer trends shaping 2023?

    Consumer trend #1: Inflation-driven buyer behavior

    In 2023, CX will be the primary factor in whether customers want to do business with you or not. Inflation-driven consumers will be more resourceful and look for ways to meet their needs while trying to save money. Customers will grow less brand loyal as they shop around for the best customer experience.

    In times of weakened consumer demand, focusing on your customers’ needs will differentiate you from the competition, drive brand loyalty, and give you a competitive advantage.

    After all, history has taught us that long-term market share is won during market reshuffling.

    Related: How to make your business recession-proof during economic downturns.

    A woman with a laptop in front of her, laying in a bed, with a credit card in her hand

    Consumer trend #2: Desire for human connection

    Customers desire efficiency, but they also put a higher value on the human connection with the company. The Global Consumer Trends Report for 2023 by Qualtrics revealed that human connection outperformed operational metrics when it comes to what makes customers happy. While technology allows for faster and more efficient service, a humanized customer experience creates true brand loyalty.

    Consumers feel that companies have placed the human element of CX on the back burner. In their rush for heightened customer service levels, businesses became overly reliant on AI solutions, leaving 82% of U.S. and 74% of non-U.S. consumers wanting more human interaction in the future.

    2023 will be the year when businesses try to bridge this customer experience gap by enabling more human interactions

    Focused woman using a laptop at an outdoor street café, possibly working or browsing the internet.

    Consumer trend #3: Robust AI that doesn’t sound robotic

    Robotic-sounding chatbots and those that cannot process simple queries have a terrible reputation. The majority of chatbots people engage with still need to be more complex, only capable of answering rudimentary queries. These first-generation, rules-based chatbots are included as top CX ‘killers.’

    2023 is ushering us into a new era of smart virtual agents. Unlike their predecessors that responded according to pre-set series of rules, knowledge-based AI chatbots are powered by Natural Language Processing (NLP).

    These new AI-powered conversation platforms are using cognitive algorithms and picture processing to understand human intent and analyze sentiment, disrupting the future of CX.

    Consumer trend #4: Omnichannel personalization

    Customers gravitate towards brands that appear to understand them and offer personalized solutions to their needs. Thanks to the rapid increase of available channels, your customers are now everywhere. But more than merely being present on all channels is required. For a truly personalized CX, all of these channels should be interconnected and share customer information between them. This allows marketers to personalize each message, product suggestion, and experience to the unique profile of each customer.

    Omnichannel personalization integrates promotion, distribution, and communication channels into a single customer database. This allows for hyper-personalization of the customer journey, leading to more upsell and conversion opportunities. From targeted display adverts, personalized suggestions, and tracking browser behavior ‒ to remarketing and abandoned cart recovery across all platforms.

    Managers discussing numbers in an office

    In terms of improved customer support, the omnichannel strategy provides several communication channels, leading to increased customer service efficiency. The customer support representative can quickly refer to a customer’s previous purchases and interactions – reducing customer effort across interactions.

    Personalized solutions and seamless communication are the top consumer trends that continue from 2022 into 2023 – and this is exactly what the omnichannel experience offers.

    Related: Next-Generation CX & Omnichannel Support

    Consumer trend #5: CX as a shared effort across departments

    The focus on the complete customer journey is the most significant CX trend sweeping across industries.

    Perceiving the customer journey as more than just a sum of individual touchpoints, CX will become a shared effort across departments. From marketing and sales to product design and brick-and-mortar stores, each department must coordinate with every other department to fully understand the customer.

    focus on the complete customer journey

    Consumer trend #6: Active listening beyond surveys

    If you want to improve your CX, you must first understand how well you serve your customers. Customer suggestions, ideas, and complaints will help you identify areas for improvement and create better experiences.

    Surveys like the NPS (Net Promoter Score), CSAT (Customer Satisfaction), and CES (Customer Effort Score) can help you gauge customer satisfaction with your brand.

    But don’t stop there. Customers want businesses to truly listen, which involves tapping into new methods of assessing customer sentiment. Tools such as video feedback, social media listening, feedback from open communities, and omnichannel listening will provide a deeper insight into how people feel so that you can respond appropriately.

    6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

    Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

    These strategies will do exactly that and more.

    Get Your Free Guide

    FrontLogix is a boutique CX BPO that offers personalized customer care solutions particularly suited to the client’s demands. Our promise is excellent results at a lower cost.

    Contact us today to learn more about our CX services and how FrontLogix can help you ace your CX in 2023!

    Call Center Outsourcing Services - FrontLogix

    Re-balancing the scales: better balancing digital tools and human connection

    Driven by the pandemic, the past three years have pushed businesses into digital-first models. Companies needed to develop new digital capabilities to remain competitive. Digital tools and automation have demonstrated their contribution to increasing operational efficiency. Digitalization has shown value in data collection, sentiment analysis, and identifying patterns and trends in how customers interact with a business. By enabling proactive self-service through chatbots, voice assistants, extended reality, and others, AI appeared to be the ultimate answer for increasing customer loyalty and customer experience (CX.)

    But the increased digital-first approach has produced another side effect.

    digital tools

    The side effect of over-digitalization

    Customers grew digitally saturated as businesses became overly reliant on artificial intelligence solutions. In fact, the drive for relentless operational efficiency has left many businesses vulnerable to customer churn.

    According to a PwC study, 59% of all customers believe businesses have lost touch with the human element of CX.’ This has left staggering US consumers (82%) and non-US consumers (74%) desiring more human engagement in the future. This data is backed up by the latest Qualtrics’ Global Consumer Trends Report for 2023, which reveals that customers seek more human connection when interacting with a brand. Their research from over 33,000 consumers in 29 countries shows that companies must ‘act more human’ to win customer loyalty.

    The same Qualtrics report revealed that human connection outperformed operational metrics when it comes to driving customer happiness. When asked what makes them happy, customers gave friendly agents twice the importance of low wait times.

    Customers want digitally powered human connections

    However, customers still prefer to resolve specific issues with AI assistance and self-help solutions. Customers find that self-help is much more convenient when it comes to simple queries. They like taking matters into their own hands and appreciate the quick resolution that comes with handling their issues.

    When deciding between self-service and an agent, time and complexity of the task are key considerations. While opting for self-service for simple queries, customers still prefer human assistance for more complex issues. The ideal CX strikes a fine balance between human and digital.

    To satisfy the full range of customer expectations, customer service teams must have the tools, systems, processes, and, most importantly, knowledgeable people that work together seamlessly.

    How to make the CX more human?

    #1 Investing in technology and humans

    In addition to upgrading tools, 2023 is the year when businesses should invest more in interpersonal communications and people skills training. Companies with high customer satisfaction rates have successfully implemented changes in customer service procedures.

    They are becoming more adaptive in how they support their customers, exhibiting flexibility and understanding. Apart from software and product training, these high-performing organizations are now training staff to be empathetic with consumers, encourage personalized responses, and abandon unengaging call center scripts.

    Next-generation customer service requires ongoing investments in technology and agent training and full integration of the two. While technology provides fast and efficient new methods of service, humanized customer experience is what drives true customer loyalty to a brand.

    #2 Active listening

    A true human-centered strategy begins with evaluating your clients’ feelings about your brand. Customer feedback, comments, and complaints will help you identify areas for growth and provide better experiences.

    Although surveys and customer listening are nothing new, customers have expressed a need for a more proactive approach. It’s not just about being present and responding when something goes wrong; it’s about anticipating what they’ll need next. According to Salesforce Research, 63% of consumers expect businesses to recognize their individual needs and expectations.

    Customer satisfaction surveys, such as the NPS (Net Promoter Score), CSAT (Customer Satisfaction), and CES (Customer Effort Score), are essential for retaining customers by offering significant insight into how customers perceive your brand. But don’t rely on single polls that provide only a picture of what is happening at one point in the customer’s journey. Include all the structured and unstructured data in a unified customer experience program. Video feedback, social media listening, open community feedback, and omnichannel listening are great tools for gauging customer sentiment and proactively responding to customers’ needs.

    digital

    #3 Personalized omnichannel experience

    When there is no human interaction, omnichannel personalization provides a means to make the experience more human. It enables customer journey customization based on the specific needs of each individual customer, resulting in enhanced upsell and conversion potential.

    It combines marketing, distribution, and communication channels into a single customer database. You can present targeted offers as customers browse your website and tailor suggestions throughout the buyer’s journey. You can target customers with new products and campaigns through their social media feeds by tracking browser behavior and abandoned carts.

    6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

    Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

    These strategies will do exactly that and more.

    Get Your Free Guide

    FrontLogix is an innovative, next-generation customer experience (CX) BPO. We are an early adopter of automated experiences that combine technology and human assistance. We recognize that technology is a strong enabler, but we also know that a humanized customer experience is what creates true brand loyalty.
    Get a quote today.