Customer Experience Benefits of Contact Center Services

Janie Frank, Knowledge Management Analyst, Hunter Douglas

“Once you send an email to us, our team will usually reach back within 3 business days.”

“We will respond within five business days.”

“We read all feedback carefully, but we are unable to respond to each submission individually.”

How many times have you received this message? While the ones above are from three of the top 10 Fortune 500 companies, the sentiment is common across the majority of contact centers.

Consumers reach out to contact center services for two main reasons: assistance and information. To that consumer, the concern is exceedingly important and imperative. They would not have taken the time to reach out to the company if it were not important. They want the contact center to understand this and make them a priority by responding promptly and with a helpful response. Unfortunately, more often than not, the consumer is told they may not hear back from anyone for nearly three days, if at all.

The world of retail is fast-moving, ambitious and demanding but many contact center services do not represent the same ideals. In the time it takes the consumer to hear back from the contact center, they may have chosen to purchase from a different company. They may have escalated and complained to their acquaintances. Making the consumer wait so long essentially tells them that they are not a top priority and their concerns are not crucial to the company.

The more trust that is built, the more likely the consumer is to continue purchasing from the same brand, therefore providing even more exposure and positive attention for the brand

Great customer experience within a contact center is not always easy, but it is always worth it. Responsive contact centers can make all the difference between keeping and losing an existing consumer. Because it can cost companies up to 25 times more money to maintain and existing consumer than to gain a new one, providing great customer service is, among other things, a highly strategic move in the world of retail.

A conscious and expeditious contact center ensures each caller has every one of their needs met in a timely manner, ideally as a one-contact resolution.

After the interaction, the consumer should be confident that their request was received, they have been heard and their concerns have been resolved. The knowledge that the consumer was assisted so swiftly gives them peace of mind, as well as trust in the company.

At Hunter Douglas, we send out an email survey called Voice of the Customer after every completed interaction to ensure that our consumers feel heard and that all of their needs were met. This way, the consumer can be confident that the company they are doing business with is focused on providing a personalized experience with each interaction.

The brand image is affected by a superior contact center as well. A one-contact resolution establishes competency and proficiency. These prompt responses demonstrate company transparency and willingness to assist, aiding even more to the trust being built between the consumer and the company. The more trust that is built, the more likely the consumer is to continue purchasing from the same brand, therefore providing even more exposure and positive attention for the brand.

Customer experience consists of all the interactions between the end user and the company. The more positive the customer views these interactions, the happier the customer is with their personal customer experience. It is important to remember that each customer has their own customer experience, but their personal experience can affect how others interpret or view their own. Positive customer experiences benefit the brand by making them stand out and gain a superior reputation that the customer will share with others.

The first step to having happy customers who tell others about their incredible customer experience is to provide exceptional contact center services.

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