Within recent memory, businesses would labour all day and then knock off at 5pm. The world of the 9-5 career is now a thing of the past. Your customers (and your workforce) have moved to a landscape of flexi-time, shift work, 7am-3pm or more, with a view to accommodating freelance work, family commitments or the enjoyment of lifestyle pursuits such as sport or gym.
The point is, your customers now expect to do business at equally unrestrained hours – over the weekend, late at night, or early in the morning. Are you delivering customer service that meets this expectation?
For the most part, companies have access to customer service options that allow for this, with the introduction of digital channels, automation and self-service, it’s far easier to interact with your customers 24/7. With the exceptions of some industries such as the financial sector which in many cases still requires customers to be present at a branch for compliance’ sake, customer interaction resolution around the clock is at your fingertips.
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A case for round-the-clock availability
Increased business opportunities
Instead of asking your customers to come back in the morning (Mondays to Fridays only or shortened operating hours on weekends), you can assist them when they need it, allowing more hours for more opportunities to resolve queries, sell products and services or conduct campaigns. In effect, you are magnifying your market, just by being available for more hours of the day.
Ease of doing business
So many interactions can be conducted without involving human agents. You can have chatbots assisting with general queries, product information and even facilitating sales. Automated processes can assist with simple enquiries and more. In turn, this means that either fewer human agents need to be on hand to deal with customers, and/or that those human agents who are present can handle the more complex tasks. This means that efficiency is being optimised in the contact centre environment, and more often than not, CX enhanced for the customer.
Rapid response and feedback
In an age of instant gratification, your customers want service now. Even if this is not always possible, it is important to manage their expectations and communicate timelines every step of the way. Who is dealing with their query, what are the contact details and name of the person or department managing it and how long will it take? Customers expect this information to be readily available and communicated, particularly if the process is complex and there are multiple tasks that need to be completed to achieve a result (e.g. a successful loan application).
This can aid in defusing problems before they get out of hand, leading to improved customer retention and an opportunity to build customer loyalty.
Related:Is Working From Home More Stressful Than From The Office?
Working with your data
The data you have accumulated on customer interaction preferences can guide you in developing more targeted business and customer support strategies – via insights gained through data analytics, you could find out when individual customers are more likely to be available and open to doing business according to the time of day that they typically interact with you or buy from you. This will help you manage and schedule your workforce better, as well as provide an opportunity to offer a more personalised service to customers.
Your customers should no longer feel like they have to wait to speak, email, chat or approach you, and your business has the opportunity to work effectively through extended hours without taxing your workforce too hard (remember, some people prefer to work at night, for example, while others need to be available to do the school run). It’s about meeting human preferences and being able to match these with efficiency in the contact centre environment.
