The landscape of how businesses interact with customers is quickly shifting. In order to compete, companies are pivoting their business models and searching for ways to drive revenue. At the center of all of these changes one thing continues to ring true, customer loyalty and satisfaction are more important than ever before.
“While good customer service is desired in any circumstance, during a disruption it becomes paramount,” said business applications and outsourcing company CGS CEO Phil Friedman. “Good service isn’t just good for the consumer, it’s beneficial to the brand in the long term. Findings also confirm the need for personalization while balancing consumers’ data privacy.”
Today, your business is likely unable to create memorable in-person experiences. Retail and brick-and-mortar shops have been forced to close or pause operations. Virtual experiences are now your best, and likely only way, to try and stand out.
It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of uncertainty. But if you can maintain great customer service and trust amidst cancellations, refunds, and changes, customers will remember those good experiences and it will benefit your business long-term. How your business responds during a crisis will make or break your reputation and customer relationships.
How SMS Boosts Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction Virtually
1. Personalization
Customers want to be understood and appreciated by companies they give their business to. Today, customers are being more selective with their purchases while simultaneously having higher expectations for customer service. In fact, research shows 59% of customers say that they have higher expectations for customer support than they had a year ago.
SMS gives you the opportunity to create personalized support experiences for your customers, virtually. You can create these experiences by providing them with specific content that resonates with them personally. This could be helpful content related to their specific problems or needs or personalized follow-up messages to make sure their issues have been resolved.
2. Conversational history
No one wants to have to repeat themselves multiple times when describing a problem they’ve encountered with your company. Conversational history solves this problem by archiving every message exchanged with a customer so they’ll never have to re-explain their issue. Even if a new agent steps into the conversation, they’ll be up to speed in seconds by glancing through the conversational history with a customer. This eliminates frustration on both ends and creates a smooth, happy experience.
3. Trust through compliance
Customers want to know that their data is safe and protected, especially with everything moving to virtual interactions. People feel more vulnerable sharing information over a computer or via text. You are on the hook for following compliance rules and regulations, which at first can seem overwhelming. There is a lot to learn and follow when it comes to compliance. But, by partnering with a solution provider that ensures compliance, you won’t have to worry and you can let customers know they can trust that their information is safe. By providing that trust you’ll retain loyal customers that will last for years.
The Bottom Line
Customer satisfaction can make or break a company’s reputation and bottom line, especially when tensions are heightened during a crisis. With SMS you can connect virtually with customers and create personalized, reliable support that will lead to better customer satisfaction and increased loyalty. Your audience will remember the experiences they had with your business during this time, making an impact to your company both in the short and long term.
Want to see how SMS-Magic Converse helps clients achieve all of this with text messaging? Reach out and we’d be happy to give you a personal tour and share examples from our clients!
