Unless you work in a field that offers emergency services, you may have never thought of offering 24-hour customer service. And if your business is currently doing well, you may not even think that this is a necessity.
But thinking this way can be a big mistake for your business. In these modern days, clients have gotten used to receiving around the clock care from practically all businesses, and staying behind on this trend could hurt you in the long run.
Even if your business isn’t in trouble, skipping 24/7 customer service can delay growth, result in lost deals, reduce customer satisfaction, and impact your revenue.
24-hour customer service can also play a big role in how your business operates each day. Here are 4 unexpected benefits of offering 24-hour customer service:
#1. It prevents your business from losing out on potential deals.
When a potential customer is browsing your website, they’ll want to have all the information they could possibly need at hand. This is why it’s so important to make sure that your website and social media profiles contain detailed and accurate descriptions of the products and services you offer, your billing methods, delivery times, etcetera.
But it’s also possible for a customer to have a question that your website doesn’t already answer. In this scenario, they’ll probably try to reach your customer service department before making a decision. If your customer service only operates during office hours, and a potential client finds themselves having to wait until the next day to ask their question… it’s very likely that they’ll desist and choose a different business.
You can prevent this from happening by providing 24-hour customer service. A virtual answering service, for example allows your business to create a virtual call center handled by remote operators who will be available 24/7, 365 days a year to make sure that you don’t lose out on any potential deals.
#2. It helps you resolve issues immediately.
Regardless of how well-constructed your website may be, there are still many little things that can go wrong when a client is placing an order. Maybe they’re experiencing issues with their payment method, or they need a little assistance to understand your checkout platform, or they’re unsure about which product they should choose.
But even small problems can frustrate your customers and make them choose against completing their purchase. And although some clients may return later, many others will simply choose another provider that is able to provide the customer service that you couldn’t.
A virtual answering service can ensure that this doesn’t happen again by answering any questions that your customers may have at any time of the day.
#3. It keeps you open for international business.
Thanks to technologies such as the internet and fast shipping, it has become possible for even the smallest of businesses to ship its products internationally.
Whether you’re working at a small boutique shop, or a small office that provides digital products, potential customers could find you from any corner of the world with a quick internet search. However, international business has its own set of complications, and you need to foresee them if you want your operations to be successful.
A significant time zone difference can make it very difficult for clients to get in touch with you – which can be especially troublesome to clients in different countries who want to inquire as to shipping options, customs fees, and delivery times. If a client is located in Australia and you’re working from New York, it will probably be difficult to engage in fluid communication with one another. If your customers are only able to leave messages to emails that won’t receive a reply for many hours, they may become frustrated and choose to take their money elsewhere.
Time differences can also make it much harder to solve any issues that arise during shipping, which could result in a failed transaction, lost products, unhappy customers, and a bad review.
A 24-hour call center can help you solve this issue quickly. Since operators work around the clock, they´ll be able to answer phone calls coming in from any time zone or part of the world. That way, your business won’t be at risk of losing potential customers and you’ll be able to expand your customer base beyond your geographical location with more ease.
#4. It maintains a high level of customer satisfaction.
Thanks to all the new features that a virtual answering service will bring to your business, your customer satisfaction levels are bound to increase as a result. Customers across all industries appreciate it when a business goes above and beyond to make sure that their needs are met, and a virtual call center can be your secret weapon to make this happen.
