Businesses are increasingly competitive and consumers are more demanding. Therefore, offering different types of customer service is an excellent strategy for gaining a competitive advantage.
Read this article to learn how to offer a unique customer service experience, with different approaches and techniques.
Why is customer service important?
Customer service agents listen and respond to customer questions and issues. And, when well provided, this service can increase customer loyalty, brand awareness and, consequently, sales volume.
Also, good customer service can:
- Strengthen relationships with customers;
- Increase the level of customer satisfaction;
- Create competitive advantage;
- Provide information about your audience and their needs;
- Improve internal processes based on feedback.
Read more: Keys to building a good customer relationship
Types of customer service
See below the main types of customer service and how to identify the most suitable type for your audience. Also, see how each type can ensure excellence.
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In-person customer service
In-person service is provided when a customer goes to a physical store to make a purchase. In this case, offering a consultant is a recommended practice to answer questions and recommend products that meet the buyer’s needs.
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Phone customer service
Telephone is still one of the most traditional solutions used by companies to provide customer service – whether through a customer service department or a call center. In this model, customers get in touch to ask questions about products or services.
Therefore, agents that handle customer queries should use a proper tone of voice, be empathic, cordial, and assertive, and should try to resolve the issue without transferring the consumer to another channel.
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Customer service email
Email is another communication channel widely used in customer service. It allows agents to manage several conversations at the same time and respond to one contact while waiting for some information to resolve another query.
In this case, to handle high volumes of simultaneous interactions, we recommend a service management system like Milvus. It allows the management and prioritization of large volumes of tickets, among other things.
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Social media
Social media platforms are increasingly used as a customer service tool. Therefore, on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Linkedin, companies should use the correct tone of voice and approach.
In addition, it’s important to answer quickly on these channels, which will help improve your customer experience. In these cases, WhatsApp can also be considered as it simplifies and speeds up customer service. This messaging platform can be operated with the support of chatbots and automated tasks to help organize and scale service.
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Chat
As one of the fastest types of customer service, live chat allows technicians to talk with customers in real time. However, for positive customer contact, agents must resolve the problem quickly, have good written communication, and show empathy.
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Self-service
Self-service is the option for customers who want to resolve issues with more autonomy. This channel is usually available as website FAQs, providing suggestions and answers to the main concerns and questions of customers.
How to choose the best type of customer service for your business
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Analyze your customer profile
Understand who your customers are, their preferred communication channels, needs, and expectations. With this information, you can determine which service channels are more suitable, whether your customers prefer more personalized or automated interactions, and which support resources are essential for them.
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Consider the size of your company
It’s also important to consider the size of your company, as it will influence your ability to offer different types of customer service. Smaller companies may opt for simple and scalable solutions, while larger businesses can invest in more complex and personalized systems.
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Analyze your budget
If you want to provide the best customer service, you need to determine how much you can invest in solutions. Be sure to consider initial deployment costs and continuous maintenance and operation costs in your estimates.
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Be aligned with business objectives
Finally, make sure the type of customer service you select is aligned with your company’s general objectives. After all, while customer service is essential for customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty, strategies should be aligned with a long-term purpose.
Milvus – the most comprehensive solution for your customer service
This article explained the different types of customer service and how to select the best channel for your company. Now, if you want to offer a more complete experience to your audience, it’s time to learn more about Milvus.
With Milvus platform, you can offer an integrated, fast, and proactive service to customers. Also, it offers process customization, optimization of agent tasks, and many other benefits, including:
- Integration of different service channels, such as messaging, real-time chat, email or telephone contact.
- Unified workspace to facilitate tracking, prioritization, and response to customer.
- Creation, management, and utilization of an intelligent knowledge base to improve self-service.
Besides the benefits above, Milvus offers integration with artificial intelligence features for intelligent large-scale support with instant and contextualized responses.
Therefore, if you want to increase team productivity, speed up problem resolution, and offer the best experience to your customers, count on Milvus expertise. Contact us now and take a free trial to learn more.
