Customers like it when you respond to their needs. But customers love it when you’re a step ahead of what they need.
It’s called proactive service, and customers increasingly expect it because they can get anything, anywhere, anytime. They want companies to know what they need or want before they even ask for it.
Companies can use what they know about customers and industry trends to create proactive service. Here are three ways to do it now, according to a recent study from Forrester Research, Inc.
1. Send notifications
Customers like reminders and updates on information that interests them. But they want it on their terms. They need to opt into notifications you offer and in a format of their choosing. Even better, they should be given the option of the days and times they receive notifications.
So what can you tell them once they’ve said they want to hear from you?
Some examples:
- Banks alert customers of balance changes that exceed certain thresholds.
- Airlines send schedule changes.
- Distributors send reorder notices when customers’ supplies should be running low.
- Venues send entertainment schedules.
- Manufacturers alert customers who have to follow strict government standards of changes to those standards.
2. Jump in at the right time
Customers can access so much information before they even decide whether they’ll contact a company. They research products and customer reviews — things they only had access to through a phone call, magazine or sales rep 20 years ago. Now, they can make a choice to walk away before they even walk in (so to speak).
That’s why it’s so important to jump in at the right time during their pre- and post-sale engagement. For instance, many organizations track which web pages customers visit, and offer to chat, send a promotion or request a log-in after customers have taken a specific action or hit a certain page. Reaching out when customers are in those early stages helps convince them to stay or try.
For post-sale proactive service, some companies now connect customers with the best company resources after they’ve had a chance to experience a product or service.
3. Be ready to answer and do more
Being proactive isn’t just about being online. Not all customer research happens online. In fact, customers still call contact centers more than they use any other channel for help.
So another form of proactive service uses those contact center conversations. That’s when reps can ask customers if they’d like notifications, offers and discounts through the other channels you have.
It’s also when reps want to answer more than the question at hand. In training, cover the most common questions asked and the most common follow-up questions so reps are prepared for everything likely to come their way.
