Applying Daily Life Moments to the B2B Customer Service World
Walking down a busy street, there can be so many things happening. Some of these simple interactions we encounter on a daily basis can transcend into other areas of our life. But what can we take from our lives and put into action in the ever-changing B2B customer service world?
Take a look at our list of B2B customer service best practices for additional insight on how to create good experiences and first impressions:
- Don’t let good service go unnoticed – Many people in the U.S. gauge their tipping amount at a restaurant based on the level of service they receive. This is a direct indication of letting good service be recognized and respected. Mimic this in the B2B world and enable your customers to do the same, be it through simple ratings after a customer support experience or reaching out later and offering an incentive for a longer testimonial on your support offering.
- You’ll never forget the bad experiences – Speaking of experiences, it’s usually the bad ones that stay with you the longest. People remember when they show up at 8:57 to a store that closes at 9, only to see employees walking around and a “Closed” sign in the window. Good businesses don’t shut their doors early when a customer is outside or force people to leave. Encourage support teams to be supportive, patient, and available when offering customer support, putting the customer first instead of worrying about the exact minutes on a clock.
- Be aware of your surroundings – Depending on where you sit, it’s always important when riding a train or bus to stay alert as sometimes you need to vacate your seat for a person in need. This gesture is referred to as behavioral conditioning. The same concept can be applied to customer support in the sense that customers should be conditioned to expect a certain response depending on their issue. Set the standards during the onboarding process so they know that if, for example, there’s an outage automated responses will be immediately sent but customers should wait patiently for a larger and more detailed response.
- Too many choices can be overwhelming – We’ve all been out to buy a simple item like ketchup only to see 25 brands and flavors in a supermarket. While it’s fine to offer multiple channels and communication severity levels in customer support, it’s also important to not overwhelm customers with too many options. Just like when choosing from a wall of condiments, too many choices can cause decision fatigue and lead to poorer choices. If you are unable to simplify the selection, highlight the key and preferred choices to make sure customers use those options more often.
- First impressions are still highly important – Walking through a mall means you are constantly evaluating the first impression of different stores. Feeling welcome when you walk by a retail shop is important to cultivating new relationships and moving the business forward. The same can be said for driving customers to a digital customer support destination. Make sure your online support experience is inviting with welcoming colors and text that is easy to read. Sprinkling in relevant imagery also helps to keep the experience appealing and engaging.
In conclusion, there are many parallels between the B2B customer service world and our experiences in everyday life. However, the underlying concept between the two that’s consistent is putting the customer first by making their experience simpler and more straightforward. Good experiences still remain important and making the right first impression plays a strong part of any support solution.
