How to Provide Killer Customer Service while Working Remotely

As more and more companies are switching to remote work, the issue of customer service becomes imperative. There are various solutions to this issue, from doing the job yourself, hiring some to do it for you, or outsourcing the service.

Regardless of the method, the end result should be a killer customer service that your clients will trust.

Increasing productivity

If you wish to be your own customer support agent, then you need free time. One way to find the time to act as a support agent is to increase productivity. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to work overtime or harder than before but that you should eliminate all of the distractions.

Home offices are notorious for distractions, as the vicinity of the fridge and the couch is too tempting for some people. You need to eliminate all of the distractions if you wish to focus on the work ahead and your clients.

Wearing headphones is a good way to eliminate the noise while placing the desk near a window will help you focus on work instead of looking around the house. Also, it would be a good idea to ask other family members not to disturb you, as you are on the phone/video link with clients.

Tools of the trade

Speaking of live chats and phone calls, the equipment you use should be top-notch. If you want to provide customer service, then the home office should be better equipped than a 911 call center. From the desktop computer to a widescreen laptop, the monitor should display much info as possible.

Furthermore, you should have a landline in addition to several mobile numbers. A copy and a fax machine are mandatory, while a 3D printer would be considered a luxury. Moreover, you require a set of noise-canceling headphones and a microphone worthy of a professional singer.

Finally, the internet connection should be as fast as possible. It’s worth sitting down with the local provider and working out a bonus plan that would guarantee excellent signal at all times. The last thing you want is for a live chat with a client to be cut short because you’ve lost the Internet connection.

Internal online meetings

Chatting with customers online is one thing but you need to maintain communication with coworkers as well. Instead of commuting to the office for internal meetings, you can hold them online, using Zoom or Skype.

During the pandemic, many other video conferencing apps emerged, so online communication has never been easier and cheaper, for that matter. By holding meetings online, you are saving valuable time that you can dedicate to customers in need.

Upgrading messaging

Live chats and online meetings are not the primary method you should cooperate with coworkers and clients. Massaging apps, such a Slack are faster communication channels, at least when it comes to exchanging info with colleagues.

However, if you are looking for alternatives to Slack to speed up communication, you won’t be disappointed. Modern messaging software packages offer all-in-one solutions that incorporate messaging, newsfeed, Intranet, and micro-apps.

Analyze data regularly

If you wish to upgrade your customer service, then you have to know how efficient have you been so far. Start by analyzing the total number of enquiries before and after switching to working from home. Then you can compare the number and the percentage of successfully solves enquires

This data will help you identify potential problems. For instance, by analyzing every pending request individually, you can figure out how where the holdup originated and whether there is a pattern to it. Such an analysis should be carried out regularly, ideally on a monthly level.

Brevity is not your friend

Whether it’s an alternative to Slack or a simple SMS message, you would think that brevity is welcome in the world of remote work. However, because of a chronic lack of in-person meetings, brevity in communication is the last thing you want to see.

This is primarily true for communication with your colleagues but also with clients. If you get a report that something is wrong, don’t answer in a single written message but give a detailed explanation. This will build trust between you and the client.

Setting your priorities straight

Another difficulty of working remotely that is evident when you take over the task of customer care is the inability to set your priorities straight. Namely, there are so many tasks that need completion, that some clients might be let without a timely reply.

When this occurs because you have too much work, consider outsourcing customer service to a third party. On the other hand, when you have enough time to reply to every claim, then make sure you do so by creating a clear list of priorities.

Getting to know your clients

Another way to speed up the interaction with customers is to know who they are. This is crucial for home offices, as it saves you valuable time. Also, if you choose to outsource customer care, the agency you hire will ask you for data on your customer.

First, you have to identify who your customers are in terms of their location, age, sex, shopping preferences, etc. Secondly, you should explore their value, so you can handle claims without making them feel uncomfortable.

Finally, you should keep a record of previous interactions with individual customers. This data will tell you if they like prefer short, concise replies or are they interested in chatting for longer. Also, keep in mind the factor of culture and geolocation when outsourcing customer care.

KPIs still matter

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are harder to track when you and your colleague are working from home. However, just because there is no one in the office to monitor, that doesn’t mean thatthe rest of the team isn’t putting in a solid effort.

What is more, workers should be notified that one of the indicators of their overall performance is customer service. This will get them motivated to provide excellent customer care even though they are working from home.

Providing killer customer care while working remotely is challenging, to say the least. However, if you are innovative enough with the management tools you use, then you actually improve customer care during the period when there is no one physically present at the office.