Midwest Blog – Not so long ago, when customers experienced a service hiccup or needed to iron out a billing issue, many dreaded having to rely on technology to resolve these issues. Not anymore. Gone are the days of dealing with long wait times and hassle-filled self-service options. In today’s hyperconnected world, businesses are using new digital processes to improve the overall customer experience.
Whether a company customizes these digital tools to meet customers on their terms or employs them to simply offer more solutions, today’s advanced communication channels, superior cloud call centers and customer-first approaches mean the digital avoidance mindset of the past has shifted in a big way.
Here are just a few ways digital channels are meeting the needs of your customers.
Deploy Customer Service Via Social Media
Realizing a majority of Americans spend a good chunk of their day on social media, companies big and small alike have found great success deploying customer service on Facebook and Twitter. And the move seems to be paying off, too. According to JD Power, 67 percent of consumers say they prefer contacting the brands with which they do business via social media.
Of course, these findings seem to make sense, as many of today’s consumers, from baby boomers to millennials, possess a digital-first mindset. Indeed, over the years, they have grown accustomed to using technology, including social media, instant messaging, texting, email and chatbots, as a way to address customer service concerns.
More specifically, travelers expect to be able to book a hotel room, make a rental car reservation or inquire about an upgrade via phone, the Web, live chat or another self-service tool. So what does this mean for your industry?
Well, it appears the pressure is on for those in the travel and hospitality industries to keep pace with technology and continue to offer more and more digital channels in order to deliver a more seamless, uninterrupted customer service experience.
Integrate Your Customer Service Ecosystem
Companies that want to thrive and better serve their customers should look toward implementing a cloud contact center that offers a host of omnichannel solutions. Ultimately, rolling out this line of customer support allows businesses to deploy more service tools, including voice, email, live chat and social media, in order to meet customers where they feel comfortable.
In these scenarios, travelers won’t have to rely on traditional means to communicate their needs or finalize their plans. To reduce customer frustration and time, look to adopt support options that can be easily tracked and that allow your support agents to move the conversation from, say, the phone to email or live chat without any interruption.
Taking these steps represents how businesses can seamlessly integrate digital channels into existing operations. Ultimately, if you want customers coming back to do business with you again and again, you must realize the importance of ease of use interaction with your brand and help customers find complete solutions quickly.
Customize Your Reach
While the rollout of digital channels has created greater efficiencies within the travel and hospitality industries, it’s also important to recognize they don’t merely serve as social venues, but rather as sophisticated business tools that can engage, measure and help foster an easier and more seamless two-way dialogue between you and customers.
That means selecting the right networks for your target audience, as travelers shouldn’t have to go out of their way to communicate with your brand. If done well, employing a cohesive digital channel platform can increase customer satisfaction, promote brand loyalty and boost revenue.
