State of the Industry: 50 Customer Service Stats to Know in 2020
No matter the industry or business model, no organisation can outrun poor customer service. Providing top-notch customer service can help elevate your business’s already great product or service.
What’s more, by providing a high-level customer experience, your business can experience increased:
- Sales
- Customer engagement
- Customer loyalty
- Average revenue per customer
- Customer retention
- Customer references
- Competitive advantage
While these benefits are great, they can’t be fully realized without the right strategies. Here is an in-depth statistical dive on the current state of customer service to help inform your customer service strategies.
As the stats, facts, and trends highlight, developing an effective customer service program requires using different methodologies and technological tools.
To give you an idea of how you can use these statistics to serve your customers better, here are five strategies and tactics to help ensure your customers always have a positive experience.
1. Seek customer feedback
To create memorable customer experiences, you first need to understand your customers’ needs and pain points. By gathering customer feedback, you show that you’re listening and that you value their opinion.
Being willing to resolve customer concerns and issues proactively, you gain real insight into your customer service standards’ strengths and weaknesses.
There are several ways your business can gather feedback. One of the most common is surveys. Surveys, either through phone, SMS, or email, are quick and easy ways to collect feedback.
Other popular customer feedback channels include monitoring social media channels like Google My Business, conducting customer interviews, and on-site analytics.
2. Strengthen your customer service skills
While your customer service team may manage the brunt of most complaints and feedback, every member of your business, no matter the department, should practice their soft skills.
Soft skills can vary but typically include empathy, active listening, clear communication, and patience.
By allowing your customers to be heard and understood, your business can foster trusting relationships across every touchpoint throughout the customer journey.
3. Track measurable customer experience metrics
The best way to track your customer experience initiatives is by measuring key performance indicators (KPIs). By using analytics, your customer service team can apply experience data to highlight improvement efforts and efficiency gains.
One key customer experience metric is the Net Promoter Score (NPS). A favourite analytics tool among many companies, from Apple to GE, NPS measures the willingness customers have to recommend your organisation’s products or services to their network.
A Net Promoter Score is calculated by the customer asking one question:
“How likely are you to recommend our product or service to your friends and colleagues?”
The rating system is typically followed up by a quick one-question survey that further expands on the given score.
Other analytical tools you can use to calculate your customer service efforts include Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Customer Effort Score (CES), and Customer Churn.
4. Promote accountability
Creating a culture of accountability in the workplace is good for customer service and the business as a whole.
By encouraging accountability and instilling a sense of responsibility, every customer interaction will feel personalised. By being proactive with any issues that arise, customers feel valued, which can result in repeat business.
Now it’s up to you!
How is your organisation going to apply these customer services statistics and trends?
Which customer service strategy is your business already using? Which are you excited to try out?
Leave a comment below with your thoughts!
