Just one bad experience; that's all it takes for a business to permanently lose a customer. Not only that, but customers are also likely to tell anyone who'd listen about that experience - a disaster for any brand. This is pertinent for Asia, where younger, more sophisticated customers, who are active on social media, will make up a third of consumers by 2030, according to McKinsey.
While businesses in Asia will continue to increase tech budgets, according to Forrester, simply investing in IT isn't some silver bullet. In the grand scheme of things, lightning-fast load times or an incredible brand story mean little if enterprises cannot deliver on their commitments to their customers. It's not that people expect brands to be error-free - mistakes are just part and parcel of doing business. Rather, it is about whether customer support is equipped to respond swiftly and effectively when a mistake does occur.
That's what titans of e-commerce like Amazon and Zappos do. These standard-bearers have effectively put paid to the days of mediocre customer support. Although many businesses have a long way to go, these giants have been instrumental in normalising the end of customers being strung along for days before their issues are resolved. Now, decision-makers are beginning to see great customer experiences as opportunities to foster loyalty. It's actually highly intuitive; people remember those who treat them well, and consistently delivering that level of experience albeit tailored and personalised to each individual case will allow the business to stand out. This may seem unattainable for many businesses, but a multi-pronged approach can be just what the doctor ordered. Below are four key steps to executing an effective, future-forward customer experience strategy.
1. Agile refunds processes
No one likes a refund claim. From the numerous rounds of fact-checking and approvals to correspondence that typically takes place over email - it's no surprise why refunds feel like a chore. Exacerbating things is the very real prospect of a growing backlog of claims as e-commerce business scales. But this can change; a customised automated workflow can give you agility no matter if it's a form to be filled out by a customer, supporting information review, or starting the refund process.
2. Incentivise customer patience
Regardless of efficiency, some issues are complex and could take a while to resolve. Naturally, customers may not always understand why that is - to them, it can come across like they're being taken for granted. A customer-centric approach would enable support teams to use discretion and request approval for special customer rewards. The issue resolution may have taken a while, but a little treat can prove that the business values its customers.
3. Collate customer stories
A great customer support story nourishes the bond between the brand and the customer. Think of that time Sainsbury’s listened to a three-year-old girl and changed the name of their bread. Any business can create heartwarming memories like that with their customers by empowering support teams to pitch ideas based on their direct interactions and experiences. This would be further facilitated through digital solutions that allow employees to share their ideas and fine-tune them to elevate customer experience.
4. Take advantage of no code/low code
Speed is the name of the game but with developers in short supply, organisations have to rethink how to go about keeping customer experience frictionless. Often, decision-makers will choose a packaged solution. However, such solutions typically lack unique features and customisations.
This was precisely the predicament CaratLane, India’s largest online jewelry retailer, faced. Here's where a no-code/low-code development platform came in handy; allowing the business to quickly create and deploy the apps it needed to delight customers at every touchpoint. This is the big draw of no code/low code - it empowers people with little or no coding and programming knowledge to become citisen developers.
Customers today are spoiled for choice; there is neither a shortage of businesses for them to take their pick from nor is there a lack of avenues for them to express dissatisfaction. In a nutshell, this underscores why businesses cannot afford to let issues snowball. Enhancing customer support processes with the above tips is a great way to stay in top shape and ensure customers don't see your brand as just another place that sells something, but a friend that gets them.
