Attracting new customers is expensive. In fact, research shows that it costs five times as much to attract a new customer as it does to keep an existing one. Customer retention strategies can help make the process of courting your existing clients much easier. An after hours answering service is one of the best resources to assist with your customer retention goals. Here’s how a 24/7 call center can help you retain customers in addition to increasing customer satisfaction and streamlining communication:
Improve Public Perception
It’s always important to portray a professional presence as much as possible. An after hours answering service can help boost the perception your callers have of your organization. Since call center agents are trained with your specific policies and procedures in mind, every caller is treated to a five-star customer service experience, no matter what time they dial. Experienced agents can quickly address concerns, answer questions, schedule appointments, and escalate urgent calls to the appropriate person – all while you and your team relax and regain a healthier work-life balance. In many cases, your callers will have no idea that you’re using a third-party call center to help during after hours!
Provide Tech Support Solutions
In the 21st century, no industry is immune from technology trouble. Online appointment software can malfunction, smart home products may crash, and e-commerce portals can glitch, leading to customers becoming frustrated and annoyed. When considering how to improve customer retention, it’s important to identify common pain points in the buyer’s journey. An after hours answering service can provide necessary tech support when your team has gone home for the day. Patient call center agents can be trained to troubleshoot the most common challenges associated with your specific software or tools. This allows them to provide solutions whenever a caller might require support, day or night.
Assist During Periods of High Call Volume
Promotional strategies are frequently deployed to entice and retain existing customers. A successful campaign can be a double-edged sword, though – an uptick in the number of callers may also mean an increase in average wait times. Even the most successful of promotions can backfire if customers are kept waiting for extended periods. If you’re concerned about how hold times could impact your customer retention rate, a 24×7 call center is the answer. Agents can quickly and efficiently handle an influx of calls while ensuring nobody is sent to the dreaded voicemail. By eliminating wait times, highly-trained call center staff can deliver the kind of customer service you’ve always dreamt of offering.
Meet Customers Where They Are
We live in a 24-hour world. The internet has all but eliminated the idea of traditional nine-to-five business hours. Thanks to smartphones and an increasingly globalized marketplace, consumers can interact with their favorite businesses at all hours. When people are unable to reach their preferred business because it has closed for the day, they frequently turn to competitors for on-demand service on their terms. If your customer retention strategy doesn’t include 24/7 service, you may find you and your business being left behind.
With a 24/7 call center at your disposal, your organization can shift to meet these new expectations. While you might be tempted to staff your business around the clock, hiring graveyard shift workers can add up quickly. An answering service for after hours is the most cost-effective solution to this challenge. You’re competing with businesses around the world – make sure you have world-class customer service to meet any new demands.
Bilingual call center services also help bridge the communication gap between your organization and customers who might not speak fluent English. As America grows more and more diverse, it’s important to extend your offerings to people of all backgrounds. Clear communication with customers is foundational to your mission, so it’s important not to overlook this growing segment of the market.
Leverage Technology for Customer Insight
The best customer retention strategies use data to inform their efforts. An after hours call center can help you collect meaningful information about each of your callers and help keep your team on the same page about inventory, queries, and customer requests. Using a state-of-the-art web portal, you’ll be able to monitor call activity in real-time. You can track call data by day or by month as well as evaluate call volume by department or profit center. With so many key analytics at your fingertips, you’ll be able to make adjustments to your customer retention strategy with confidence. Detailed diagnostic reporting has never been so easily accessible.
In our global economy, even the smallest of businesses must compete on an international stage. Given the high stakes, it’s more important than ever to build meaningful relationships with customers and win their loyalty. By leveraging resources like an after hours answering service, customer retention is easy. See how MAP Communications can bolster your efforts by contacting us today!
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