How Technology Can Be Your Secret Weapon as a Customer Service Manager

Tech

Running a customer service department is never easy. It is in many ways a thankless job that requires the ability to keep your cool when irate customers demand action. In addition, you need to make sure that your agents have all the help they need including the right software. For many managers in the realm of customer relations, the development of smart software like the current Provance ITSM that manages a host of details simultaneously has made that element easier.

But the human side of taking care of customers continues to require good training, an ability to think on your feet and, of course, a person who stays cool as a cucumber. But there are some technologies out there that can help any smart customer service department run smoother. Here are a few examples of what we mean.

Facebook Handles Customers

More and more we are seeing companies begin to migrate various parts of their online presence onto Facebook. It should come as no surprise then that someone has developed software that allows companies to develop a customer service base right on their Facebook page. Many experiences with it show that it is by no means as robust as the kind of software you would expect in a full-blown customer service software program that resides on the company computers, but for a small enterprise it may be just what the doctor ordered.

This is in addition to handling customer complaints that often show up on social media sites these days and get transferred to the company’s customer service department. As we see more and more of our potential customers turning to Facebook to shop for what they need in addition to finding out what their favorite niece is up to, expect to see more developments that work within the social media framework.

Tech Connects Experts and Customer Service

Your in-house experts may not be actually part of your customer service department, but they should be actively connected to them. Today there are a number of technology companies that offer software to connect your tech experts and IT specialists to your customer service handlers.

By utilizing a team of experts in a round robin format for tech support on customer calls you can have an ability to troubleshoot problems before they escalate. Customers will appreciate that their problem was “kicked upstairs” to someone who is an authority on their product. Plus, you will free up your customer service reps to handle other calls and deal with the human side of the complaint, while your tech specialist solves the tech side of the problem. The result is seamless from the customer side and far better than trying to track down that elusive expert in-house.

Making Social Media Work for You and Your Customers

In the end, it is easy to see how social media can be a powerful tool to solve customer problems and give them satisfaction. When technology such as these software programs is applied to social media outreach and well trained customer relation agents, you have the perfect marriage of people and technology. It is this combination instead of just one or the other that often yields the best results.