August 8, 2024
Customer service automation: tool to beneficial business progress
In the modern world buyers’ expectations are growing day by day. Not only the quality of products and services matter, but also the level of support they receive.
Today we will talk about one of the main techniques enabling to achieve a new level of client’s interaction, reduce costs, increase productivity, work efficiency and loyalty — customers’ service automation.
What is customer service automation
Customer service automation means implementation of different technologies into relationships with buyers to fulfill the assistance without human intervention. The examples are AI, chatbots, self-service tools, etc.
Small businesses may cope with clients’ requests relying on managers to handle the support via phone calls or emails. However, middle companies and big corporations will need for these activities huge staff of employees, which causes increasing expenses.
Automation of customer experience will enable not only a cost-efficient solution, but instant service for improving clients’ engagement and loyalty.
Benefits of customer service automation
Implementing automated systems helps businesses reduce response times, improve consumers’ satisfaction, better allocate human resources and budget. What exactly you obtain:
Enhance customers’ satisfaction
24/7, timely, fast support, no misunderstanding — these are what make clients satisfied and dedicated to your brand.
Ensure 24/7 availability
Digital instruments work 24/7 without breaks that means that buyers are able to get assistance at any time convenient to them.
Enable to avoid errors
People can be tired, sick, not satisfied — this affects concentration and leads to mistakes. Technologies are more reliable from this point of view.
Cut costs
Automation is cheaper than hiring managers. Brands can reduce expenses by up to 40% by introducing modern tools into customer service workflow.*
Grow support speed and efficiency
Time is one of the most valuable treasures nowadays, and for companies time is money. Technologies allow you to significantly fasten the service procedure as human labor is minimized.
Provide advanced performance possibilities
Automation systems allow businesses to accumulate, analyze data and then use the captured information to identify audience needs. This data-driven approach enables improvement and optimization of clients’ experience.
Last but not least — a wide range of tools available. Modern solutions help prioritize crucial issues, personalize and improve customer service.
Effective customer service automation tools
1. Chatbots / virtual assistants: an efficient and flexible tool that can be assigned to perform many routine actions faster than human staff and with 24/7 availability — answering FAQ, collecting feedback, requesting data from customers, classifying issues, etc.
2. Artificial Intelligence: AI enables to identify the issues, analyze clients’ requests and make data-based decisions.
3. Workflow automation: such routine tasks as updating records, sending or generating reports, can be automated — this frees up human agents to focus on more important issues.
4. Knowledge and self-service bases: these are articles and FAQs, troubleshooting guides, etc. Self care options encourage clients to find the solution by themselves, providing a significant economy of your time and resources.
5. Interactive voice responses: IVR is a pre-recorded voice message that is played to the buyers, allowing them to choose and dial a number depending on what they need. It enables businesses to automate all or a part of incoming calls, avoid overloaded lines, improve the work environment for the staff and customer service for the clients.
6. Integration with systems: connecting your clients’ support procedures with CRM will ensure all data and interaction history are stored in one location. This provides more personalized and advanced customer service.
All the listed above tools serve to handle routine tasks fast and efficiently, but how to choose those which are necessary exactly for your business?
How to choose a customer service tool
To get the maximum benefits, take into consideration the best practices for customer service automation introduction:
1. Evaluate possible cons of automated service — lack of empathy, overreliance on technologies, inability to solve complex issues
2. Identify budget, resources and integration options with existing tools
3. Provide possibilities for human intervention
4. Analyze and optimize automated processes
5. Combine automation with personalization approach
6. Choose omnichannel messaging, the right communication tools and technologies
ImLink — your reliable provider that will help to assist the automating of customer service and any other type of business messaging across a range of popular channels: SMS, Viber, WhatsApp Business API, etc. Complete the form on our website and start efficient communication campaigns with ImLink Team!