There are many business owners, who like most average citizens, look forward to what the new year will hold for themselves and their company. The past year may have seen their sales in a slump or they went through some organizational changes that left everyone frazzled and worn out.
Even though a new calendar period doesn’t really offer a hard reset for business practices or the current state of affairs, the mental excitement of new hope and possible potential is enough to keep a manager or owner going. For some, the coming trends offer a way to breath new life into their company. For 2020, the world of customer service is set to experience a few promising trends.
1. The Mobile Factor
As smartphone ownership continues to grow, so will the reality of mobile shopping as the prime way to attract consumer attention. It is already estimated that 80% of shoppers physically standing in a store will rely on their smartphone to compare prices, find other stores, or read a product review. The future of use will go long beyond a digital operation that has been a resource. Mobile phone use, tech, and customer expectations are going to overhaul your business. The current statistics are showing that if your company does not have a mobile-optimized website, it hurts your sales and image just as if your store was closed one day a week.
2. Social Media Contacting
A sales protocol is always about relationships, and social media is becoming one of the most popular ways for consumers to connect with businesses. However, by becoming friends through these channels, you are able to stretch the relationship in a referral source and unsuspecting salesforce. Your company isn’t going to make it if you don’t develop a social media presence or an online store.
In fact, 63% of consumers expect social media connections from companies, while 35% of company customers prefer to connect with support services over social media rather than another channel. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are still some of the popular connection sites, but you could take your efforts one step further with custom integration.
3. Artificial Intelligence and Self-Service
Although there will always be a need for a human presence within an industry, the move toward chatbots and tools using artificial intelligence is speed. Self-service tools operating on AI have become more a requirement than a need since IT functions are not able to keep the business user demands and there is some dissatisfaction with the capability.
Current systems are slow and cumbersome and can’t keep up with the various needs of consumers. Using systems that employ business intelligence and performance analysis gives more employees more information that can be used to make better decisions. There is a misconception that business intelligence tools are expensive and difficult to learn, but the few companies that acquired chatbots report remarkable results, valuable data, and seamless delivery of real-time customer service.
4. Virtual Offices
Working from home has been test-driven in many companies, but there will be an increased turn to virtual employment and offices in the next year. Customer service jobs can be easily done from home, and being able to expand a talent pool across the country improves the competition for qualifies individuals as well as extending operating time periods. The cost of trying to establish new physical locations, recruiting, onboarding, staffing, and management is astronomical compared to the affordability of work-from-home positions and virtual employment.
These are four areas where customer service will experience in the coming year. If your company is looking for a fresh start and way to improve your revenue stream, consider investing in these areas of customer care. After all, the rise and fall of the company are placed solely on your consumer’s interest in your product or service.
