Good customers are hard to find; keeping them is crucial. We are working in a much-changed, digital-first economy where it’s all too easy for people to click away if they don’t get what they need. They want their issues solved quickly—preferably on first contact—and they want to feel heard. But too often, customer service teams run up against barriers.

This week is Customer Service Week – an international celebration of the importance of customer service and of the people who serve and support customers on a daily basis. At TeamSupport, we honor our employees who work hard every day to ensure that our customers have a smooth, easy customer service experience. However, getting our organization to run like a well-oiled customer service machine didn’t happen overnight. Here are our 5 steps to creating a truly customer-first team.

Customer service communication can play a huge role in how customers perceive your brand. For example, here are two ways to let a customer know that an item is out of stock: 1. “I’m sorry, this particular dress isn’t in stock and won’t be in for another two weeks.” Or 2.

Messaging has surged in popularity and become a go-to channel for many consumers since the COVID-19 pandemic. It looks like the trend is here to stay—74 percent of customers who messaged with companies in 2020 plan to continue doing so. Research also shows that 76 percent of consumers like to buy products using chat or messaging, and 72 percent are more likely to make a purchase online if they can ask questions in real-time. Google’s Business Messages enables buyers to do both.

During the company’s all-hands meeting, you find out a sales manager role has opened up. As a seasoned sales rep, you naturally get excited—until you realize that you don’t know how to transition from a sales agent to a sales manager. You begin to wonder, Do I have what it takes? If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. Ask any sales manager, and they’ll tell you the journey to leading a sales team isn’t easy.

Vivantio, a leading provider of customer service optimization software and solutions for demanding B2B service teams, was recognized as a Higher Performer and Momentum Leader in several categories in the G2 2021 Fall Report. G2 is a product review platform where verified users review, rank and share experiences and feedback on various services and software products.

An excellent customer experience is the key to any company’s success. It contributes to the firm’s customer loyalty, brand advocacy, and sustained growth. And this is just as true to enterprise customers as it’s to individuals. Enterprise customer experience involves all the interactions your business clients have with your organization. It’s a holistic view of your organization from your business client’s various employees, managers, partners, etc.

Customer service outsourcing is an appealing idea. Farming out your customer care to an outsourced agent can cut overheads significantly, saving you money, resources, and often, a great deal of stress. But it’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution, and there are no magic outsourcing beans you can use to make the process easier. That’s why you need to weigh your options carefully, especially when an external company could be directly interacting with your customers.

Customers no longer want to be held back. Rather, customers want businesses to inspire a sense of independence in them. So, to retain your customers in contemporary times, you need to make them feel empowered. And focussing on customer empowerment is the way to go. If you’re looking for customer empowerment ideas, then you’re in the right place. This resource covers everything you need to know about customer empowerment – the what, the why, and the how.

It’s hard to find a brand with a more loyal following of diehard supporters than Apple. According to a 2021 SellCell survey, brand loyalty for Apple customers is at “an all-time high of nearly 92 percent.” That’s up from (an already high) 90.5 percent in 2019. Those Apple users already likely spend much of their time in Apple’s Messages app—making it the perfect place for companies to reach customers and provide support.