Robyn Tantoy Dec 8th, 2019

How poor customer service affects your company

Your brand, customer satisfaction and profitability are at stake

A bad experience with the customer support team generally has an impact on your company’s brand, profitability and customer satisfaction. This is one of the effects of digitization, which allows one unhappy customer to reach hundreds of other customers and potential customers via social media and online forums. Unfortunately, it is also true that a satisfied customer will talk less about their experience than a dissatisfied one. So, if you want to maintain your reputation, retain your customers and ensure the growth of your company, it is essential to invest in solid customer service. Outsourcing is one way to ensure you are giving customer service the focus it deserves – giving you access to competencies you may not have in your own organization.

The battle for market share is currently taking place in the realm of customer service, which has pushed the industry into taking tremendous strides in development over the past few years. Companies that do not pay enough attention to their customer service are taking an enormous financial risk. Nowadays, most markets are characterized by fierce competition. A lot of energy and resources are expended on converting new customers, rather than investing in the customer relationships you have already established. But your existing customers are perhaps the ones who are the most valuable for your company. Getting a new customer to buy your product or service is generally not the most difficult task you face – it is converting that customer into a repeat customer who comes back for a second or third purchase. Therefore, loyal customers are incredibly valuable, and you need to expend just as much energy developing existing customer relationships as you do creating new ones.

Future proof through outsourcing

Customer service is the most natural and effective channel to develop the relationship with your existing customers. There is perhaps no stronger marketing channel than a satisfied customer, where word of mouth carries significant weight and ad campaigns that spread organically often reach more people. At the same time, this strategy does not demand a lot of resources from the company. Companies like Amazon, Google and Uber may have heightened customer expectations in terms of accessibility, but expectations for the service itself are still fairly low. So, for companies that are ready to take their customer service seriously, there is a lot to gain! If you really want to make an investment in your customer service, outsourcing could be the way to go – you can join forces with a partner who will share your goals, visions and challenges.

Of course, in the end, the most important thing is understanding why your customers are not satisfied. Why haven’t you reached the level of customer satisfaction or seen the response you expected and think you deserve? There is a way to find an answer to this question, but first you need to create a customer journey map. If you have chosen to outsource your customer service, this is something that can be included in the agreement, meaning that you team up to identify where the problem lies and how you can resolve it.

For example, Transcom’s services also include strategy assistance, identifying the level of accessibility required and the channels relevant for your particular company. By offering your customers a little extra – for example, extended hours, more channels and quick solutions to any problems that arise – you can stand out from the crowd. If you choose to make the right investment in your customer service, you will be able to quickly recoup that investment. So, don’t wait to future-proof your company! Rather than just
looking at your customer service team as problem solvers, you can also start to see them as one of your best sales and marketing tools.

If you decide that outsourcing your customer service is right for you, it is essential that you establish the right requirements for any potential partner. Select someone you feel is proactive, has a good eye on the market and is at the forefront of the sector. Outsourcing is more than just a tool for streamlining customer service. It is also a move that can help develop the organization as a whole.