There is no shortage of need for experience customer service programs and agents. Call centers and individuals who handle customer concerns are the backbone of organizations, and many industry leaders are beginning to see them as more than just a necessity for handling complaints. With the aid of modern relationship management software, they help other departments drive revenue and keep customers coming back time and time again to purchase products.
Brands must take customers on a journey that includes introduction of their products, sales, and support. At any stage in that process, they must continually connect with their customers and provide them with exceptional experiences, and if they are not exceptional, they may find their potential or existing customers running to competitors in search of the whole package. It is no longer only about sales and marketing; businesses must be at the top of their games throughout the lifecycle of their products and their customer relationships.
One manner of addressing this challenge is to say that customer experience leaders are saving the world by providing top-notch experiences for everyone they encounter. This notion led to a Customer Management Exchange Network e-book, titled, "Save the World, One Customer at a Time”.
In the e-book, the Network explains the situations businesses go through every day when dealing with customers. It presents challenges and goals through the lens of business leaders who are shown as comic book characters. One leader, Kevin Goodburn, the head of customer experience at First Gulf Bank, says customers will strongly relate to the "wow factor”.
"Have a vision that your exec and board believes in," he says. "Then customers will notice a change."
"Communicate effectively through the different levels of your company," Goodburn advises, "and have the right people doing the right jobs to give your customers what they want."
Anne Grim, the global head of client experience for Barclays, also chimes in:
"Practice comprehensive listening to show the customer that you know them and understand their needs and wants," she says.
It is clear that the e-book places a high emphasis on employee training and departmental collaboration as ways in which to better reach customers. Its "super tips" include taking ownership of conversations and personalizing interactions. The better departments communicate with one another, the better and more personal they can make their experiences with customers. Furthermore, when brands own their interactions, they show they are responsible and will work hard to put their best feet forward every step of the way.
The Customer Management Exchange Network e-book can be found here.