How to Leverage Software to Improve Customer Service Efficiency

Celeste Mottesi September 27, 2022
- 6 min read

As the software industry progressed, so has the customer service sector. As a result, the customer service landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, and software has played an enormous role in this change.

Gone are the days of waiting on hold for hours or dealing with frustrating automated menus. Instead, today’s customers expect and demand a much higher level of service, and software is one of the vital tools that customer service teams use to meet those expectations. 

Thus, if you were wondering how to improve customer service efficiency, we’ve come up with six different ways in which your business can do so with software. Read on to find out! 

How to improve customer service efficiency using software

1. Provide 24/7 support

One way software can improve customer service efficiency is by providing 24/7 support. This aspect is especially essential for businesses that operate in multiple time zones or have customers located in various parts of the world. 

With 24/7 support, customer service teams can quickly resolve issues and improve customer satisfaction. For example, one of the features of these solutions is ticket management. This function allows customer service agents to keep track of all the support requests they receive and quickly resolve them. 

Another advantage of 24/7 support is that it can help reduce the number of incoming calls during peak hours. Granted that, customers can use the software to submit support requests outside regular business hours. When this happens, it frees up agents to handle more complex issues during their scheduled shifts.

Additionally, leveraging software allows customer representatives to access information and support tools regardless of location. It lets them assist clients anytime, even when they’re not physically in the office. 

Today numerous applications enable organizations to deliver 24/7 support, such as live chat, customer relationship management (CRM), and help desk software

2. Reinforce agent training

Besides providing 24/7 support, leveraging software can strengthen customer service efficiency by reinforcing agent training. For example, some reinforcing agent training solutions can create instructional modules for new customer service agents. As a result, this software ensures that agents receive proper training on company procedures and policies. 

Meanwhile, some software include a product database containing all the latest information about a company’s goods and services. It can be a valuable resource for agents who need to provide product support. Some programs also offer agent performance ratings that can be useful to managers to identify areas where agents may need additional coaching.

Businesses reinforcing training reduces the time customer support spends on each call or issue. It likewise lessens the number of calls that requires escalation to a supervisor. In addition, some software can provide customer service agents with real-time feedback. This component can help them improve their performance and better serve customers

3. Establish a knowledge base

A knowledge base is an extensive compilation of data businesses can use to resolve customer issues. For example, if you encounter recurring client concerns, you can route those to your knowledge base so that agents can quickly find answers. This element is crucial because it aids in reducing the amount of time spent on each customer call.   

Moreover, you can also channel resolved tickets to your knowledge base to develop your FAQ site. This component can be a valuable resource for consumers. Since it provides self-service options to clients, they can search for answers to their questions without waiting for a customer service agent.

For this reason, implementing software can help you establish and maintain a knowledge base. InvGate Service Desk even has functions that allow you to create new articles and categorize them, making them easy to find. Others provide templates so you can create your knowledge base.

An adequate knowledge base should be readily searchable and organized in a way that makes sense for your business. Hence, you may arrange your knowledge base by product, topic, or customer issue.   

4. Capture customer testimonials

On the other hand, customer testimonials are a significant resource for customer service teams. They provide insight into what customers like about your products and services. Organizations can use this information to enhance the customer experience

Additionally, customer testimonials can meaningfully demonstrate to potential customers that your business values customer satisfaction. Thus, ensuring that the software you adopt to capture testimonials delivers high-quality recording and is straightforward is crucial. In addition, it will guarantee that your testimonials appear professional.

With the proper software, businesses can capture a client call or email showing the customer’s positive experience. Then, after seeking client permission, the company can repurpose the material and use it as a testimonial on its website or as marketing collateral.

Furthermore, testimonials can likewise boost agent morale. When customer support sees that their efforts are pleasantly impacting customers, it will increase their engagement and motivation.

5. Automate Workflow

Another way to leverage software is to automate customer service workflows. This aspect is critical because it can strengthen efficiency by eliminating manual and repetitive tasks. For example, the software can automate repetitive activities such as ticket routing, sorting, queuing, regular reporting, and other clerical work to save time for more pressing projects. 

Of course, customer support software can likewise optimize and manage the team’s capacity by understanding their skills and matching them with the right tasks. In many cases, the software as well can automate the actual customer service process. 

Businesses can do this through the implementation of chatbots or virtual assistants. Chatbots are computer programs that can reply to customer inquiries, provide product recommendations, and even handle basic customer service tasks. In contrast, virtual assistants can deal with more intricate work.

Automating customer service workflows help you to improve customer service efficiency and maximize your team’s schedule.  

6. Generate customer insights

Finally, businesses must understand their clients to provide the best customer service. In the past, this meant relying on surveys and feedback forms. However, today’s organizations have access to a wealth of data that can offer insights into customer behavior. 

When companies leverage software to track customer interactions, they can identify patterns and trends in customer traits. They can use this data to fine-tune customer service strategy. For example, if you learn that a particular pain point is causing customers to churn, you can employ steps to address the issue. 

Similarly, if you observe your team consistently missing the mark when meeting client expectations, you can use data analytics to identify areas of improvement. 

In other words, customer insights can aid you in understanding your customer’s needs and expectations. Likewise, data analytics will allow you to evaluate those patterns and trends in customer behavior. Adopting both elements enables you to develop a customer service strategy tailored to your business needs.

Final thoughts

Implementing software will elevate your customer service efficiency and help you provide better support round the clock. However, it’s significant to note that these are just a few examples of how technology can bolster your customer service operations. 

All of the points covered are vital in their own right. Nonetheless, finding a solution that’ll work for your business and customers would be best. Every company is distinct, so what works for one organization might not work for another. 

Take the time to assess your requirements and find a software package that suits them. With the right tools, you can deliver world-class customer service and watch your business grow.

Read other articles like this : Experience Management

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