The step into the digital era has paved a way for businesses to devise more sophisticated strategies to take client assistance to greater heights. But no matter the changes and innovations in the industry, there is but one factor that never changes — customer support.
There are no surefire ways to deliver “good” user support, especially since consumer demands and expectations are changing each day as the “savvy generation” takes center stage. The usual communication channels such as phone calls and emails have proven not enough in order for businesses to thrive in today’s client service-centric landscape.
With these changes in demands and the emergence of new trends, and the progressions in various industries, company owners must think beyond the box in order to come up with more efficient strategies to provide cutting-edge support that will help them retain existing end-users and acquire new ones. Keeping up with the current trends in customer service is an ideal choice to maintain competitive momentum. But then again revamping one company’s customer service structure doesn’t come cheap. That is why businesses must think twice and invest wisely and start to adapt to these up and coming digital customer service trends in 2021 and beyond.
This article will cover:
- 5 Customer Service Trends for 2021 and Beyond
- 1. Outsourcing Will Gain (More) Popularity
- 2. Rise of Chatbots
- 3. Self-Service and Support Automation
- 4. Social Media As Marketing Channels
- 5. Going Mobile
This is the Future
1. Outsourcing Will Gain (More) Popularity
The pandemic has changed the work lifestyle of companies worldwide causing some businesses to lose momentum and competitive edge which is vital to maintain stability and keep their brands above water. Employing in-house manpower is quite challenging nowadays, especially that there are certain rules to abide by.
This is where outsourcing comes into the picture. Although not new to the eyes of the business industry, there are several untapped advantages that outsourcing has to offer especially for companies badly in need of efficient business solutions that doubles as a post-pandemic tool for surviving.
Outsourcing customer support service is important for businesses who are searching for efficient solutions without exerting too much effort on their end. With an outsourcing company working in the background, businesses gain the capacity to scale their workforce to focus more on core objectives and devise newer ways to maintain stability in the long run. Not to mention, outsourcing is less expensive than hiring a whole team to take care of the areas that need outsourcing (in this case, customer support).
Also, businesses don’t need to worry about efficiency as outsourcing companies are able to provide the best manpower with the right expertise that’s adaptable to maximization even after the pandemic. It serves as proof that outsourcing will be a continuous trend in the coming years.
2. Rise of Chatbots
Although not a new frontier to the industry, chatbots’ potentials remain untapped by the majority of the industry. But 2021 is the defining year for chatbots to emerge as one of the most sophisticated and efficient additions for customer service efforts.
Harnessing the potential of chatbots and AI helps businesses provide quick response to queries. Chatbots enable you to set a good, lasting impression on both your current and new clients. Also, chatbots are great at handling multiple, repetitive messages at once, enabling your website to address more clients minus the hassle of hiring additional in-house manpower.
There’s one catch: Chatbots are not yet configured to handle more complex messages — not just yet. But with help from human touch, this customer service technology trend enables you to entertain client queries anytime, anywhere.
3. Self-Service and Support Automation
With the domination of the tech-savvy generation, the demand for immediate support will significantly increase. Customers are more likely to expect fast-acting customer service and on-the-go solutions every time they ask something or raise their concerns regarding your products or services online. The aggressiveness and impatience of these young followers taking over the system makes self-service one of the norms in the incoming years. A recent survey suggested that customers, especially millennials, prefer looking for solutions on their own with minimum supervision from a live customer support agent.
Thanks to the help of knowledge base and AI, providing seamless, comprehensible, and immediate responses to all types of clients will be much easier for your business. Carrying out a computer-powered support service online while also highlighting the desire of some end-users to seek answers independently are game-changers in boosting conversions in the absence of a human live agent.
However, you should always remind your website visitors the assistance you give is not always limited to mere instructions. Let them know that FAQs, and chatbots are also accessible with skilled human operators who are capable of providing more intimate conversations.
One of the striking advantages of this customer service industry trend is the capacity to allow your business to cover a wide range of online queries without the need of spending too much budget for hiring human operators.
4. Social Media As Marketing Channels
With 3.6 billion active users worldwide, 90.4% are Millennials and 77.5% are Gen X’s. Social media plays a huge and crucial role when it comes to the future of marketing game plans. These metrics alone suggest that Millennials and Gen X’s will more likely encompass your business’ overall market share and customer service queries queues in the incoming years.
Social media enables its users—especially businesses—to pinpoint their target demographics with one press of a button. This makes it easier for them to implement their marketing campaign without the hassle of being irrelevant to the landscape, especially since social media generates a more personal connection with customers.
As your social media presence becomes outnumbered, relying on a small team of social media personnel won’t suffice the surge of engagements on different social platforms. It is essential to play hard when dealing with a multitude of user queries. It is best to implement intensive training to in-house manpower and use every available tool and resources including chatbots to deliver maximum customer service experience.
5. Going Mobile
With a staggering 3 billion smartphone users globally, smartphones have become an integral part of people’s daily lives. The influence of digitalization is continuously felt far and wide not only by the presence of the internet, but also through the efficiency of new and advanced gadgets.
Although some businesses have dominated the world of mobile phones, going mobile is still a new frontier to some. Mobile phones are now dubbed as one of the leaders when it comes to customer satisfaction. Providing customer service via smartphones helps businesses deliver seamless interaction with their customers without losing efficiency. It improves the business’ relationship and rapport with customers.
With continuous domination in the digital era, going mobile can be highly instrumental in surviving the dynamic industry of 2021 and beyond.
This is the Future
As we approach the end of 2020, the only way for your business to stay relevant and competitive amid the dynamic developments inclient support, is to embrace innovation. Use the different customer service future trends discussed in this blog as your stepping stones for navigating the digital era. With modern technology as your foundation, along with the right mix and match of human resources and modernized tools, providing a flawless support for the current and upcoming generations is not impossible.
If you want to know more about outsourcing and its benefits, or if you are looking for feasible ways to equip your business with more cost-effective customer support, why not choose to do business with New Media Services? They offer a wide variety of tailor-made business solutions that easily suit your business’ requirements. With expertise in handling big and small client concerns, New Media Services is your go-to place to find the finest live support agent that handles all types of customer-related queries.
Do you agree with the trends listed above? Let me know in the comments section!
