Honestly, how many times have you watched the company that just implemented your high-end platform or software just walk out the door with a cheery wave and a, ‘It will be fine’? Then systems fail, teething problems surface and suddenly the enthusiastic sales have been replaced with rung-out calls and endless delays. For many organisations, a lack of support is an ongoing issue that affects decision making, profitability and productivity.
It’s a bad problem to have, but an even worse problem to create.
The business case for customer support
It might seem that support is something you can worry about after you’ve filled the bath with money and you’re singing in it with a cigar, but a recent report by NewVoiceMedia found that in the United States alone companies lost around $41 billion due to poor customer experiences. That’s customers leaving your business to find companies that are interested in giving them the support that they crave. This is particularly critical in IT as companies need partners that can help them navigate issues, adapt systems and remain on point with their technology investments.
In addition to bolstering your own reputation, and potentially your bottom line, the ability to provide customer support generates loyalty and trust. This can be easily broken, of course, if honesty doesn’t come standard with your business practices, but these values can directly translate into business growth. After all, if a customer is unhappy, they’ll simply go somewhere else. Research by 1Financial Training found that 96% of unhappy customers don’t complain. So, you’ll never know why they left, only that they’re no longer answering your calls.
Honestly, just be transparent
The IT industry is fiercely competitive, constantly changing, and incredibly demanding. This makes it hard to get customer attention and even harder to keep it. Transparency and honesty have become a commodity that’s valued by organisations of all sizes and budgets. If customers know what to expect and receive solid support, then they are far more likely to return, to share positive word of mouth stories about the brand, and be satisfied with their investment.
This view is reiterated by the Salesforce 2019 State of Service Report that found 80% of customers felt that the experience they had with the company was just as important as the products or services it delivered. It all comes down to honesty, transparency and a commitment to deliver next-generation customer support.
What do you mean?
Well, it’s ironic that digital transformation is a trend driven by the need for improved service. That most companies are investing into CRM platforms and databases that provide single customer views to transform how they interact with their clients. And that technologies such as AI and automation are opening up new avenues of engagement. Yet the technology companies that play a role in the development of these platforms aren’t evolving with the technology itself.
At ETZ Global we have a single mantra: ‘We deliver what we promise, on time.’ This goes beyond just meeting customer implementation objectives and ticking boxes. We believe that honest support and quality service are essential to ensuring our customers get the service and solutions they need.
“…from the start they gave realistic pricing and expectations and, most importantly, they stuck to their promises.” – Malan Barnard, Director at GlueData.
