We are living in unprecedented times. There is a wide-scale crisis in the economy. Established businesses have been forced to discontinue their operations. Companies have had to lay off hundreds of people to save expenses and ensure business continuity. Very few companies have managed to stay on top of everything during these difficult times. Those who have managed to succeed, have one thing in common – the seamless customer service that they provide to their customers. The COVID-19 global pandemic leading to an economic crisis has transformed the way businesses operate. Remote working, work from home, digital initiatives, smaller staff, etc. are just some of the way companies have changed. However, the one thing that must remain constant is the service and experience that your existing customers and prospective leads are receiving.
The one thing that companies need to understand is that, in the present scenario, customers are facing financial issues, just like businesses are. As such, brands trying to only drive sales will end up losing in the long run. Marketers and salespersons need to be empathetic while designing campaigns and selling. The focus of all marketing activities should be on helping the customer. In order to do this, the first step is to understand changing customer needs. Based on this, businesses can redesign their marketing strategy. For instance, Loom, a video recording, and sharing company made their Loom Pro free for all teachers and students in K-12 educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities. They also removed the video recording limit on free plans and cut the price of Loom Pro by half. They capitalized on the present norm of virtual classes while understanding that many people are facing a financial crisis due to the loss of jobs. Such actions instill a sense of trust in the minds of customers.
Customers are key to business continuity, profitability, and success. By keeping your customers happy even during times of economic downturn, you can be assured of the fact that your business will always have consistent sales. Customer service should be your primary focus during any crisis. Customer service CRM can help you in this regard. Customer service CRM provides a single, unified platform where all your customer service operations can be integrated, thereby allowing businesses to provide a superior and omnichannel customer experience. Here are 5 tips to provide seamless customer service in an economic crisis.
Innovation
An integral component of customer service functions is the product or service on offer. When the country is facing an economic crisis, it is important to innovate your products and services to fulfill the immediate needs of people. Businesses cannot stick to their existing product lines. The priority is to understand what are the essential products and services that your customer needs. Once you come to a conclusion regarding this, the next step would be to analyze if your existing offerings can fulfill these needs. If not, can you innovate and modify your offerings? By widening your portfolio, you get a three-pronged advantage. Firstly, you get a guaranteed sales pipeline by offering necessities. Secondly, you can give back to society and do your bit during tough times. Finally, by ensuring consistent sales, you can guarantee the jobs of your employees and protect your business from potential shut down. For instance, during the COVID-19 threat, alcohol companies like Bacardi have started manufacturing sanitizers to help people.
Customer Service CRM
Trying to tackle an economic crisis without any technological help is a herculean task. Customer service should be prompt, accurate, and available 24/7. With teams working virtually from home, this might not be possible. In addition, many companies have been working with a skeletal staff due to financial issues. A smaller staff makes providing 24/7 customer support almost impossible. This is where customer service CRM comes in. CRM tools can be used as an alternative to customer service personnel. These tools use a combination of chatbots, artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, and robotic process automation to provide impeccable service. Businesses can use AI-powered chatbots to reply to customer queries 24/7. This will ensure seamless customer service and customer delight during times of crisis.
Transparent Communication
Customers deserve complete communication at all times. This is especially true when there is an economic downturn and customers are feeling anxious and insecure. Companies need to clearly communicate all company-related information, changes, facts, etc. to customers. With safety being a primary concern for customers, businesses should inform them about every safety prerequisite and steps they are taking to safeguard their employees, businesses, and offerings. Also, well-established businesses enjoy a level of trust and reputation amongst customers. With the number of rumors making the rounds, with regards to the virus and the economy, companies should use their communication channels to inform customers about the truth, after getting all the facts verified.
Personalization
Personalizing all your customer interactions is always a good idea. During the current times, this has an increased relevance. To ensure seamless customer service, you need to think about what your customers need. All your marketing campaigns, interactions, and activities should be organized around the needs of your customers. Get your teams to talk to your customers. Many of your customers would be facing issues because of the pandemic and the economic lockdown. Find out their problems and try to help them while marketing your offerings. For instance, if one of your customers belongs to an industry that has taken a hit because of the worldwide crisis, offer them discounts. This will keep your customers happy and ensure that you can help them as much as you can.
Your customers are your most important assets and should always be valued. Seamless customer service is something which should never be compromised, despite external circumstances. By helping your customers and giving them what they need, you can set yourself apart from your competition and continue gaining consistent leads and profits even during times of crisis.
At Talisma, our customer service CRM can help you deliver an exceptional customer experience and drive customer lifetime value. Get in touch with us to know more about our customer service CRM.
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