Your Customers Prefer Human Interaction

Why is the phone such a popular method for customer service? People prefer to get resolutions to their problem in the fastest mode possible. They call for a human touch, to know that their needs are being met by a person and not lost in somewhere in the digital realm. They simply want to interact with a person, rather than hope for an email response from a computer. As we know, reaching a person who can answer your question and resolve an issue is often most quickly realized via the telephone.

According to a 2011 Forrester Consulting report (PDF of report), a mass majority (81%) of customers prefer customer service support via telephone rather than other methods. (online, email, etc) In this same study, they found that “phone conversation” was the most utilized method of seeking customer service in the prior 3 months (44%), well ahead of email (15%).

While they prefer customer service with a human touch, customers also become frustrated when excellent levels of service are not achieved. In today’s social media age, they often share frustrations with others. This can be of serious consequence to any company who regularly provides less-than-adequate customer service.

E-how lists these negative impacts:

  • Negative Reputation
  • Loss of Customers
  • Loss of Revenue

Additionally, ClickFox reported these negative impacts:

  • 52% tell family/friends/peers about the experience
  • 35% stop doing business with the company
  • 16% post comments on social networking sites

Our customers realize that the cost of maintaining your own customer service department can be enormous, and rather than provide a minimally adequate customer service experience, they choose to outsource the inbound portion of their customer service to us. Rather than falling into the category of providing the average 8% (Forrester report) satisfaction rate of customer service often found when companies try to minimize support costs and keep their call center, they hire us.

Top 3 customer service frustrations:

  • Phone Menus: aka. Interactive Voice Response (IVR). People dislike trying to speak to a computer, and trying to navigate multiple levels of phone menus. You may not realize how many customers you have lost just because of their unwillingness to go through the motions.
    — Our services eliminate the need for multiple phone menus, especially when utilizing our live-answer services, making your customers HAPPY customers.
  • Hold Times: Even if you have music, a recording with information to listen to, or a repeated reminder telling your customers “your call is important to us, please hold on the line for the next representaive”, what your customers hear is “we’ll help you when we are good and ready, we are too busy for you right now”
    — Our highly trained staff will treat every call as if it is of the highest importance, eliminating hold times and ensuring your customers get quick resolution to their needs.
  • Repeating Information: There is nothing more frustrating to a customer than repeating your need to multiple persons, and being repeatedly transferred from agent to agent, department to department.
    — Our account managers will work with you to determine the best possible call-dispatch system to ensure that your caller is sent to the correct person the very first time around, while relaying all pertinent information when transferring their call to you and your staff.

Direct Line TeleResponse provides the excellent customer service our clients expect for their customers, at a reduced overhead cost, and without any negative impact on the customer. Our time-tested service and proven attention to detail results in high levels of customer satisfaction, which in turn is directly attributed to your company. Excellent customer service is hard to find, but we make it our top business activity. Our priority is quick resolution and quality human interaction, which mirrors the top expectations of customers in the Forrester study.

Top 3 customer service expectations – consider them met with us:

“I am able to interact with a customer service representative quickly.”
“My query is resolved quickly.”
“I am able to interact with a person.”
We do it right.

Direct Line Teleresponse is a U.S. based telephone answering service.

We are the perfect extension of your business.

Contact us today to learn more about our services, at 888-365-2424.