There are so many ways for customers to contact modern businesses that it’s possible to forget about the good old-fashioned phone call.
However, there are many selling points to still offering customer service by phone, so here are the main reasons why this makes sense in the 21st century.
Phone Ownership Is Nearly Ubiquitous
With smartphone user numbers still rising worldwide, and landline connections still popular among older generations, you can be confident in assuming that every customer you have will be able to access a phone at a moment’s notice.
Customer Service Calls Are Preferred by Many
Phone access is one thing, but people actually want to make calls is another. The good news is that a call is still the preferred option for dealing with problems, beating out email and digital channels in the US.
This means that if you want to satisfy customers, you need to give them the choice to call you, in addition to having other channels available for support if they need them.
The Human Touch Is Invaluable
While tech like machine learning may be all the rage for converting and retaining customers, there’s still something unbeatable about having a conversation with another human being, particularly when there’s an issue that needs addressing.
Phone-based customer service with real flesh and blood agents at the end of the line will lead to greater levels of customer satisfaction and allow for trickier problems to be resolved, while simpler snafus can be addressed using automated alternatives if available.
Choosing the Right Phone System for Your Small Business Is Important
With a competitive, well-equipped phone system, even a small organization can impress its customers with comprehensive customer service by phone.
And with alternatives to Google Voice out there, you don’t just have to opt for the biggest brands if you want cost-effective, versatile telephony for your office.
Things like automatic call forwarding, geographic number assignment for location-based targeting, and integration with separate CRM solutions are all part and parcel of what the latest unified communications systems have to offer. As such, you shouldn’t settle for less than exactly what you need to succeed.
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Finding Out What People Think of Your Company Is Less Challenging
The only way to improve your company and retain more customers is to get as much feedback as possible.
You can do this with things like email requests and social media surveys, but these tend to be incapable of generating significant levels of engagement with your audience.
Conversely, if you’ve got a phone support line and agents available to staff it, you can get them to ask customers directly about the quality of their experience, and what they’d do to change and improve it given the opportunity.
Sourcing feedback in this way is faster and simpler than other platforms, thus generating more and more valuable responses.
Responsiveness Is a Brand-Boosting Asset
People prefer businesses that are able to cater to their needs as soon as possible. A phone support service facilitates just that; you can reply to customer concerns on the fly, rather than allowing them to linger for longer than necessary.
It also prevents problems from slipping between the cracks. If emailed queries are sitting in your inbox for days, customer disgruntlement is inevitable. But if you can take support calls as they come in, solutions will be found in no time.
In summary
There are even more reasons to offer customer service by phone than this handful, but hopefully, we’ve made the point that you shouldn’t neglect this aspect of your business if you value the prospect of long-term growth.
