How to Improve Support of Complex Customer Service Issues
There are many types of issues handled by customer service, but predominantly they can be classified into two groups - simple issues or inquiries and complex problems.
Simple issues are simple for a reason. They can be handled within a single interaction or a non-critical issue reporting that can be resolved by the organization without additional customer input. Since most organizations find simple problems to be frequent and reoccurring, it makes sense to address them with automated channels - with mobile capable knowledge-based systems, social media, improved website forms, text messages, and chat systems. These solutions successfully reduce a large number of calls placed to the call centers. Yet, these same channels generally are less effective in resolving complex issues, especially when a complex issue is addressed with a wrong channel or when the problem truly is a complex issue posing as a simple symptom.
It is not surprising to know that most complex issues are handled over the phone. It takes a lot more time to explain the problem in detail, so that the customer service agent can understand it, analyze it, and work on providing the resolution. For certain communications, like resolving erroneous billing chargers, reporting wrong shipped items, or filling out complicated financial applications, there is no substitute to a verbal in-depth conversation. However, for all other complex customer service issues, which generally fall in the realm of support, is there anything that can be done to help shorten the support time without compromising customer satisfaction?
Absolutely! Technology is yet again making the headway in helping customer service support operations.The biggest impediment in electronics support, tech support, any other question for any device that requires installation, operation, or diagnostics is the verbal communication. End consumers are attempting to explain what they are seeing and the problem they are experiencing. Meanwhile, the agent is attempting to decipher the message to understand the problem. The more complex the problem, the more time it takes to explain it in order to resolve it. If neither the customer nor the agent can come to the consensus, the issue is escalated requiring either shipment of a replacement or scheduling an on site visit.
What if we could apply visual streaming to the same scenario and allow the customer to share what he is seeing with the customer service agent real-time? How helpful would that be? Most would certainly recognize that complex issue resolution can be greatly improved with this technology. With larger number of end consumers already being attached at the hip to their mobile phones and tablets, it makes it very easy to equip the customers with the means to enhance verbal communications with real-time visual context. For organizations that already have mobile apps freely available for their customers, this feature would do wonders if it is added in the existing mobile app.
Now, lets take a look at the benefits of this solution using some very basic customer service problems. Customers want the issues to be resolved quickly. They want the issues to be resolved on a first call and they want to be understood without having to repeat their concerns multiple times to multiple parties. Organizations, in the meantime, are looking for efficient response at the best quality of customer service possible, which would preserve a high level of customer satisfaction. With visual data, the pains and goals of both sides are addressed. Having seen the problem first hand, the agent can understand it sooner and can determine if the issue requires an onsite visit or can actually be handled remotely. The customer, at the same time, receives high quality service with immediate feedback and necessary guidance.
There are many scenarios where this feature would be greatly useful. Printer or copier error, support of mobile device applications or software hosted in secure data centers where screen sharing is not available, and even furniture assembly. Many scenarios can benefit from a delivery of visual communication to existing phone interaction. Best of all, this is only the beginning. We are entering the age of the wearable devices that will bring even more innovations in improving support of complex customer service issues.
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