Customer service can make or break a business. But not everyone agrees on what it is or how to do it well. In this guide, we’ll share how to set your business up for customer service success.
The definition of customer service
Customer service is the act of supporting and advocating for customers in their discovery, use, optimization, and troubleshooting of a product or service. It's also the processes that support the teams making good customer service happen. The goal of customer service is to foster lasting customer relationships.
The evolution of customer service
The main difference between service today and service 10 years ago is that customers expect premium service to be built-in from the first sales or marketing interaction and carry through to the moment they ask for help, post-purchase, and back again. To position themselves for success, businesses must integrate service into the journey at every interaction point.
Why is customer service important in business?
Customer service is important because it sets your business apart from competitors. It can make people loyal to your brand, products, and services for years to come. In fact, 77% of customers say they're more loyal to businesses that offer top-notch service, according to our Trends Report.
But this is only possible if your business makes customer service a priority—customers will vote you off the island if you don’t. Our research also revealed that roughly half of customers say they would switch to a competitor after just one bad experience. In the case of more than one bad experience, that number snowballs to 80%.
And the experience you provide for your customers is only becoming more important, with 50% of customers reporting that CX is more important to them now compared to a year ago.
