According to customer support technology reviews firm Software Advice and research they conducted, manually trying to manage customer relationships and consumer complaints through email and spreadsheets is going the route of rotary-dial phones! What was once an expectation in large business is becoming stand fare for small business owners as well. Integrated software solutions are becoming essential for customer relationship management from mom and pops to global enterprises and the best of breed not only integrate customer record keeping but nimbly respond to customer needs in a seamless and authentic manner.
Each year, Software Advice interacts with thousands of professionals looking for the right customer service solution for small businesses. There recent findings are based on 385 randomly selected discussions with buyers from small businesses (which they categorize as companies earning less than $100 million in annual revenue). The findings from those conversations are as follows:
“Most potential buyers were using manual methods such as email to manage customer support, with only 14 percent using dedicated CSS (customer service and support) software.
Small businesses buying CSS software for the first time were significantly more likely to say they struggled with managing customer complaints.
The vast majority of buyers (90 percent) requested basic trouble ticket management, with an additional 36 percent looking for reporting features.”
Graphically the reasons for wanting an integrated solution are provided below:
While your response to customer needs should be uniquely human the tracking and integration of responses to those needs should be automated. Greatness in customer experience leadership is automating aspects that can and should be automated and leveraging that technology to make the personal and human connection with those you serve!
Joseph A. Michelli, Ph.D. is a professional speaker and chief experience officer at The Michelli Experience. A New York Times #1 bestselling author, Dr. Michelli and his team consult with some of the world’s best customer experience companies.
Follow on Twitter: @josephmichelli