Call centers are vital for any business to communicate with its clients. Customers need support every single day. They can have various types of problems. Call centers have been working great with that task for ages. However, will social media replace call centers at some point?
Importance of social media in today’s world
Social media in today’s world is significant in all aspects. We spend most of our time looking at new posts and other information. Sites like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are the most popular. Most of us wouldn’t be able to live without our phones now. It is significant for businesses to appeal to their customers. So, they join social media platforms.
Social media is the most used channel to discover new brands and companies. However, social media users have high expectations from companies. 63% of all customers expect assistance via social media platforms. About 90% of clients communicate with businesses through social media. Half of these users believe that companies must respond to their posts within an hour. This option fits the Millennial and Gen Z generations. Another aspect is that 80% of companies think social media is optional. Only 8% of clients agree with that statement.
The fast way of reaching your audience
It is not surprising that the world is changing, and everyone must adapt to it. Nowadays, most young people hesitate before making a phone call. They prefer going on social media to find the information they need. Therefore, more businesses try to please customers’ needs. To do that, they join social media platforms. Social media platforms are one of the only public-facing contact channels.
Social media is one of the fastest and easiest ways of communicating with clients. Companies can post content that reaches the audience effectively. They can also interact with other creators’ work by reacting. Thus, businesses enhance their visibility on the platform. It is an effective way of getting new clients and providing them with the correct information. So, it doubles as a marketing tool, and there’s no need to make a phone call.
People go on social media to share their experiences. Most of it happens when they have complaints. However, this is better than you think. On social media, brands can notice complaints quickly and take action. So, the client and those who saw the post will know that the company is reasonable. That also shows that the brand cares for its customers.
Let’s think about it
Is social media taking over call centers? Social media is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. It’s no surprise people are so attached to it. However, there are still plenty of people who enjoy and use call services. To sum up, call centers are a great communication channel, even if they will change over time.
Measuring and analyzing the customer service center’s key performance indicators or, in other words, call center metrics is critical when assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of call center operations. Most customer service center managers know the need to monitor call center KPIs constantly. However, what often needs to be clearified is which customer service centers should measure call metrics and what industry standards are.
Customer service center metrics may vary in standards, depending on the industry to which the call center belongs. There are some global standards and best practices that companies can use, which will help them define team goals and measure call performance.
Technical features of a customer care center:
Service level:
The Service Level (LS) measures the percentage of calls answered within a specified period. The level of service indicates whether a company has sufficient resources to connect all customers to agents and promptly solve their problems. According to the traditional service level, the operators must answer 80% of the calls in 20 seconds. A customer service center should perceive this common goal.
Average response speed
The Average Response Rate measures the average amount of time customer service center representatives spend taking phone calls (VMR). Operators who don’t answer the calls within 20 seconds are also included in this benchmark. Consequently, a global average of 28 seconds was determined. The value may change depending on the sector and time of day. The high metric can warrant adding more employees.
Resolution on the first call
The First Call Resolution Rate (RPC) is the metric that measures the percentage of calls your agents resolve on the first interaction. RPC means that there is no need to follow up with the customer. In general, the PRC industry benchmark is 70-75%. However, since there are several ways to measure the RPC, the rate will likely change according to the selected method.
Average handling time
The amount of time typically required to handle a call or transaction from beginning to end is known as the average handling time (TMG). It starts from the initiation of the call by the customer, including the waiting and conversation time up to any related activity that could follow to resolve that call. The standard of the TMG is approximately 6 minutes. However, this can vary significantly depending on the sector/size of the business.
Duration of the call
The call duration is the average time agents speak with callers on the phone. According to the global call measure, each call lasts four minutes. The duration of an inbound call is measured from the time the agent answers it until it is concluded. The time frame for an outgoing call begins when the recipient picks up the phone and ends when either party hangs up. The call length is the typical amount of time agents speak with callers. The average call lasts for 4 minutes, according to the call metric. The time spent on a call is calculated from when an agent answers an incoming call until it is disconnected. It lasts from when the person being called picks up the phone until one of the parties hangs up.
Call termination time
Call termination time, also known as after-call work (LPC), is the amount of time an agent takes to perform follow-up activities to complete a customer interaction. This may adding notes to a CRM, filling out forms, consulting a manager with unresolved questions, or anything else associated with the call. The metric, on average, for the call end time is 6 minutes. But there is wide variability between the different sectors.
Human features:
Empathy, patience and consistency
Some customers will be angry. Others will be full of doubts. And still, others will want to chat. You need to be able to manage them all, ensuring the same level of service every time.
Adaptability
Every client is different; some may appear different from week to week. To provide a good customer support level, you need undergo a continuous learning process. You have to be able to handle surprises, interpret the customer’s mood and adapt accordingly. This also involves a willingness to learn.
Clear communications
Make sure you communicate to customers precisely what you mean. You don’t want the customer to think they’re getting a 50% discount when you offer them 50% more products instead. Maintain composure at all times, speak on excellent terms, and never terminate a conversation until making sure the consumer is happy.
Professional ethics
Customers appreciate a representative who takes care of their problem until they find a solution. At the same time, you need to have good time management skills and spend only a little time managing one customer if others are waiting. Stay focused on your goals to strike the right balance.
Knowledge
Customers rely on you and your team to learn how to use the product. Ensure you are knowledgeable enough to answer most inquiries and know who to turn to when questions become too detailed or technical to respond properly. But don’t be scared to say, “I don’t know.” Customers will appreciate your honesty and your effort to find the correct answer.
Remain impassive
Whether your team works directly with customers or seeks their feedback via social media, they must always keep customer satisfaction in mind. The customer is always right; you know that, right? The ability to put aside personal pride and accept criticism or negative feedback is crucial.
Do your customer service representatives have the right skills to ensure good service? Conduct a customer survey or interview to see if your team shows all of these characteristics. Conducting a customer feedback survey via your CRM program at the point of sale or when sending the invoice to customers is a very effective way to check if your team’s skills are up to par.
Research studies have confirmed that customer centricity significantly impacts business success (e.g., Harvard, McKinsey, University of St. Gallen, Walker).
Indeed customer centricity is a global approach that all company departments must adapt to, which imposes a particular way of organizing the company and management style. Product orientation, which offers the same product for all markets, is fundamentally opposed to it. Customer centricity promotes a culture of treating customers with respect. This improves the customer experience and increases customer satisfaction.
Today, customers are experimenting with new relational and operational models that are changing their expectations. Moreover, they want more speed, fluidity, and personalization. Only a few B2B companies have implemented a strategy focused on customer centricity. Also, we will develop the points for successfully implementing customer focus to improve your results.
It implements a practical approach that includes the involvement of all the company’s employees, managers, and operational staff. Then, it is also compulsory to have a common objective; to satisfy customers’ expectations.
In the company, four departments have an impact on customer orientation:
General management
Middle management
The employees
The customer
Internal viewpoint
Within the company, customer orientation must be a common desire. It can be achieved through group training but also solid internal communication.
Knowing how to listen to your customers
Customers are essential assets for the development of various offers and strategies. Listening to customers by conducting satisfaction surveys is an important point. Then you can meet customers’ expectations and build and maintain a special relationship with them by listening. Valued customers are satisfied customers.
Two main factors in customer culture
1. The values of each employee
Generally, empathetic employees are naturally customer-centric. If not, they are easy to convince. Through workshops and training days, employees must be aware of customer culture’s importance. The role of middle management is to act as a link between employees and management.
2. Values promoted by the organization
Identically to the employee’s natural values, there are values communicated by management and shared at all levels. Companies must value their employees for these values to permeate and be shared. In return, these employees treat their customers well. This phenomenon is called attentional symmetry.
Tips for improving your customer-centricity
Additionally, companies use personas and fictitious people who represent typical customers to improve customer focus. Team members who can attend meetings to guide the strategy better embody this.
To conclude
A customer-centric culture is good for business. It helps you better target your customers, understand your market, reduce churn, and increase sales. The time has come for B2B companies to bring their customer-centric programs to the forefront.
Katrium is here to help your company to improve its customer centricity.
