From operational to exceptional: how well-trained agents can attract new business
We’ve all heard some variation of the statistic: when you’re on the receiving end of crummy customer service, you’re likely to tell more people about it than you would if you were treated like royalty. Unsatisfied customers will pass their frustration on to about 15 others; those luckier customers who got what they wanted will tell an average of 11 about their experience. If that proportion doesn’t make it clear, maybe this statistic will: 17% of customers now admit that they are willing to pay more for products and services when they know they’ll get a top-notch customer experience. When a brand prioritizes the quality and consistency of its CX, it has an impact beyond delighting its loyal customers; it assumes the power to attract new ones.
Paying more for products that come with great customer service says a lot about customer mindset these days. Obviously, if a customer has to connect with a contact center, they want to feel that it’s going to be time well spent. On one level, customers appreciate the simplicity and convenience of paying a bit more to be able to opt-in to a better service structure, just like the old adage of “you get what you pay for.” But on another level, consumers consider this premium as a way of identifying with a brand and supporting it to develop even better ways to serve them. To a satisfied customer, your brand experience represents exclusive attention and treatment worth paying for, and when customers feel their loyalty being reciprocated through compelling customer experiences, it forges an unbreakable relationship. Remember the figure of telling 11 others about that great experience? Consider the impact when those 11 others choose to do business with your brand based on stellar reputation and glowing reviews, and then they tell 11 others, and on it goes!
Contact centers have become the primary gateway to customer connection, where a brand’s customer experience and reputation are forged by highly skilled, empathetic agents whose approach reminds customers why they’ve chosen to do business with your brand. We’ve discussed at length how ongoing agent training is a massive asset to your contact center’s operation, and it’s in the evolution of your brand’s reputation with its customers where agent training and development really start to make a measurable impact. Today we’re looking at three strategies that your contact center can use to attract new prospects and keep established customers so smitten with your brand that they can’t help but shout it from the rooftops!
Let your agents shine
Support your best and brightest agents to create more authentic connections with customers by trusting in their service experience to interact with customers off-script. According to a 2018 study report from Software Advice, customers reported experiencing better service when their agents didn’t sound like they were delivering scripted responses. With AI-assisted insights and more flexibility around call duration, agents have the info at hand and the time necessary to create real rapport and understanding with customers, making them feel heard and valued.
Share your brand’s stories
Your contact center’s success stories are worth their weight in gold. Success stories and testimonials are honest, compelling snapshots of what it feels like to be your brand’s customer.
Not only do they make your hard-working agents feel proud of a job well done, motivating them to continue their best efforts, but they offer social proof of your brand’s reputation in action. Success stories also help add context to agent training initiatives and create honest and enthusiastic content for ongoing marketing efforts.
Blow your team’s horn
You’ve built a dream team of AI-empowered, super-skilled agents and a successful, multichannel approach to customer care. Thanks to this, your brand’s relationships with customers are stronger than ever, and your reputation is on the rise – so it’s time to shout about it! Your current fans are busy spreading the good news about their experiences with your brand; your marketing efforts should amplify that wave of support! Reveal to prospective clients the standard of treatment they can expect doing business with your brand by sharing testimonials and reviews across all points of consumer contact, and show them what they’ve been missing!
The ROI on your contact center is firmly rooted in how it excels at retaining its loyal customers and attracting new ones, now and into the future. By prioritizing ongoing investment in agent training, AI enhancement and, most importantly, connection with clients, your brand’s commitment to creating unparalleled customer experience can speak for itself.
bespokeCX gives contact center teams the framework, tools and perspective to deliver exceptional customer experience through skilled, motivated, successful agents. AI-driven insights maximize operational alignment while strengthening customer connection, helping agents excel at providing confident, authentic customer service that can improve your brand’s reputation and revenue. Visit www.bespokecx.com to learn more.