This Most Searched CX Term May Surprise You

Jason I'm Jason S. Bradshaw and today I continue the series of answering the most searched questions on customer experience customer service on the web. Now today's question I actually can't answer, but I can provide you with practical advice based on my experience on how to improve the situation. So what is one of the top 10 searched customer service customer experience terms of 2024? Well start with it's not just 2024, it's 2023 as well. And earlier the search term is what is the customer service number for insert company? Now there are 2030, easily 40 companies whose names come up after that particular phrase. What is the phone number? 4 customer service of X from some really big names household names. Now I'm not going to name and shame them because if it's happening to those organizations, it could potentially be happening in your business as well. But today I'm going to share with you how to avoid being searched by a customer looking to get service. Because if we're adding friction to the customer getting their problem solved, how do you think you're going to earn the right for them to recommend you to their friends and family, let alone come back and buy from you again? So from my own experience, there's two trains of thought here and some companies like to bury their phone number so that it drives people to web based solutions. The problem with that is sometimes that's just not fast enough and sometimes it's not the practical response to the situation. You'll remember in an earlier video that I encouraged you as one of the trends that I'm predicting for 2024 that those businesses that have breakthrough success will be those that are operate on the channels that their customers want to operate on. So I'm not saying you should have a telephone line for customer service. I'm saying you should have customer service channels that meet your customers where they are. Because undoubtedly you will have customers across the spectrum who will be comfortable with using different channels of communication. And if there's a majority of your customers hanging out there, you should be there to serve them. So a couple of things that you can do to prevent customer frustration when they're trying to contact you. First of all, don't bury the lead. It would be the hint. Have your phone number easily and your other customer service channels easily visible on your website on your front page. Now I'm not saying they need to be up in big neon signs at the top of the fold, but but if I'm on your front page, I should easily be able to navigate to how to connect with you. And there should be more than one way. Not just email, not just a web form, not just a telephone call, not just WhatsApp. There should be multiple ways based on where your customers hang out. Second, on your products, have a QR code, wherever practical, so that your customers can simply scan that QR code and jump straight into a support site which again has the option for the customer to connect with you in multiple ways. And then of course, in your manual, repeat that your QR code into a customer support portal that gives them multiple ways to connect with you. Now, of course, that's just the basics. If you want to go even further, you you know that your organization should be considering what happens beyond the transaction. And beyond the transaction is where you can build a relationship with your customer, how you can build rapport, how you can build likability and trust with them. So if you've been following me for a while, you'll know that I am a huge advocate of thinking beyond the transaction and to continue to deliver value to your customer. Post the purchase. Now this is a clever way to achieve two things when it comes to this particular question that people search for. What is your customer service? Phone number or how do I get customer service from you? A couple of ways it's clever. Number one, you can be educating them about how to use the product, which could already be solving their perceived problem. Number two, it gives you an opportunity to to regularly remind your customers how to reach out to you so that they don't have to search, they don't have to be frustrated. They know exactly that you care for them and how to get help when they need it. Remember, 30% of your customers will leave you after just one bad experience. So it is on all of us to minimize the friction, to improve the experience so that our customers want to buy from us again and to tell their friends and family to do the same. Well, it's Friday here in Australia and so this is the end of my workday weekday lives. I'll be back on my Monday and so I'm wishing you a great weekend and a successful one. Take care of.