Why Companies Fail to Respond to Customers – Info Cust Service

The data shows that 35 percent of contact centers have no idea how much email volume to expect on a given day. That number jumps to 66 percent for social media. These contact centers simply react to what they get. Many customer service leaders have told me their teams often get overwhelmed.

The same survey found that even the phone forecasts were lacking. For example, 56 percent of contact centers do not include time for customer follow-ups or callbacks in their schedules. Many contact center agents are closely monitored for how well they adhere to their work schedule, a practice which actually discourages responding to customers.

Reason #3: Automation

Automation has been offered as a solution to help companies respond faster to customers, but it’s not without challenges.

Sometimes automation doesn’t work. We’ve all suffered the embarrassment of trying to use the self-checkout kiosk at a store, only to need an associate to help us out. There are also plenty of examples of tone-deaf automated messages inserting themselves into social media conversations, like this one.

Other times it just feels cold. There’s nothing like getting a boilerplate “Dear Valued Customer” email to make you feel like you are anything but valued.

Take Action!

I’m joining forces with my friend and customer service writing expert, Leslie O’Flahavan, to host a webinar to show you how to balance speed and quality when responding to customers.

How to Write Like a Human in an Age of Speed

During our interactive session, you’ll discover how to balance the need for speed when you have a limited number of people to answer emails during a limited number of hours each day. You’ll also learn how to effectively use email templates and automation tools while still delivering a personalized experience.

• Date: Thursday, August 16
• Time: 10am Pacific (1pm Eastern)
• Cost: Free