Even the camera-shy can use video to make the customer experience better. Here’s why you want to add more video to the experience – and five tips to maximize the efforts.
The coronavirus changed how people do business, and specifically they do less business in-person. So there’s no better time than now to add or improve video in your customer experience.
“As our face-to-face interactions have become limited, video is quickly becoming a critical part of the customer experience,” says Holly O’Neill, Chief Client Care Executive and Leads Consumer of Small Business & Wealth Management Client Care at Bank of America. “Video can be an effective way to expand the resources available to your customers through digital interactions or on-demand content.”
Here are five ways to incorporate video into an improved customer experience:
1. Add a personal touch to impersonal touch points
With video, you can add a human touch to areas that normally don’t get them – such as during an online transaction.
For instance, like many industries, Bank of America had to stop or slow in-person interactions. So they leaned more heavily on their “Advanced Centers,” which customers can access for nearly all normal in-person transactions.
“We know our clients still want to have conversations about more personal or complex financial matters, so in our Advanced Centers a video concierge or self-service kiosk provides clients with the personal guidance they need, directing them to a dedicated room where they can be connected to an associate for private and secure conversations over video,” O’Neill says.
Tip for you: Try offering a video chat option in addition to the real-time chat you already offer.
2. Include more on-demand video
Create more videos to solve as many common issues and FAQs as possible. That way customers can choose if they want to read the directions or pull up an on-demand video to watch for step-by-step instructions.
“Having video content readily available leads to a better experience where customers can troubleshoot their own issues, should they choose to,” O’Neill says. “At Bank of America, we provide online video content to our customers through our website, mobile app, and social channels.”
For instance, customers can jump on Bank of America’s YouTube channel, for videos on topics such as online bill paying and tips on better spending habits.
Tip for you: Look at your up-to-date FAQ pages and work with customer experience pros who are comfortable in front of the camera to create short videos covering the same topics. Post tips regularly in your social media channels to promote the video library, too.
3. Incorporate video in training
In addition to creating videos for customers, build a library of training videos for employees, who can get them on-demand to improve their skills and provide better customer experiences.
Bank of America’s virtual training sessions “provide hands-on practice environments with real-world scenarios for both new hires and existing teammates, whether working remotely or from their traditional workspace,” O’Neill says.
They also created videos that helped employees meet effectively with customers via online, face-to-face video which has helped them build higher client satisfaction.
Tip for you: Build a library of official training videos and also ask employees to create approved videos of their best practices to share.
4. Do video on any budget
Some organizations might think they don’t have the resources to create video libraries or interact with customers via video. But O’Neill says there are low-cost, high-impact ways to manage video in the customer experience.
Tip for you: Use your phones to create videos. “Keep it casual with an IGTV video or Twitter Live where you answer common questions about your products or services. You could also use video for how-to content by filming a screen recording to walk customers through complex processes or troubleshoot common issues,” O’Neill says. “Always ensure that the videos you produce are concise, clear, professional and accessible – following ADA compliance to meet the needs of all customers.”
5. Be practical
Video isn’t for every customer. Sure, more customers embrace it now. But it can’t replace all of your experience options.
“It is important to keep in mind that video shouldn’t be your entire digital strategy – it’s just one tool in the toolbox. Listening to customer needs and feedback is where great customer service really starts, so that should always be the top priority,” O’Neill says.
Tip for you: Add video, but keep employees available to walk customers through the experience step-by-step like they always did to ensure every customer gets the experience he or she wants.
