As the United States moves further away from products and more toward the service economy, your connections with your customers are all you have. Even if you are the best provider in your industry, it won’t mean much if you don’t have good customer service.

Fortunately, technology is making it easier and easier to improve your relations with clients. To take your customer service to the next level, it’s time to adapt the right tech tools and strategies.

Text & Chat

Younger customers don’t want to call a 1-800 line. They don’t have the patience and barely even call their own parents. Why would they want to spend 15 minutes talking to a representative?

Instead, offer text- and chat-based customer support so that clients can multi-task while they reach out to the company rather than devote a chunk of their precious lunch break to make a phone call that nobody ever wants to have.

Engage Customers on Social Media

Even better than chat is social media. Your next generation of customers are using Twitter, SnapChat and Instagram more than any other channels of communication, so you must maintain a presence on these platforms to listen to their needs.

Businesses like Dominos are taking things even further: All a Twitter user has to do to order a pizza is register their username on the company website and then tweet an emoji of a pizza slice to @Dominos. Easy as pie.

Social media sites make it possible for all companies — whether with a bare-bones budget or ample cash flow — to provide quality and urgent customer service.

Are you overwhelmed by all the different online and social media requirements for successfully promoting your business? Check out our package offerings for websites and social media marketing!

Make Payments Easy

Once a customer has chosen your product, some companies think their customer service is already done. But there is still one key exchange left: the actual purchase.

No matter what type of sales you’re in, have a quick, easy, card-based payment system available. When many of your customers don’t carry cash anymore, you have to adapt and bring processing equipment with you — wherever you go.

Instant Invoicing

While having the ability to accept face-to-face payments is now mandatory, not all transactions are made in person. Invoicing is still a necessary evil that can cause animosity on both sides if it isn’t handled promptly.

Enter “instant invoicing.” There is no longer any need to wait a month — or more — to pay outstanding invoices. Today, you can ditch the paper and take care of payments immediately. There are so many other benefits as well. Learn exactly how instant invoicing can transform any business.

Simple Tech Answers

Last but not least is the most simple: Do the things you already do — but better. The Houston Chronicle breaks down why simple tech tools, like email lists and company websites, can be your greatest assets. These avenues may not be as trendy as some of the newer tools in your war chest, but they are still the best way to keep customers up to date on everything that’s happening with the company. Make these your bread and butter and then add the newer technologies on top of it.

Don’t forego the newer, innovation solutions at your disposal. But also never forget what has gotten you this far already.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also want to check out these others:

Rotten Reviews on Yelp? Here’s How to Fix Themg
Three Reasons You Should Be Using Email Marketing
5 Reasons Social Media May Not Be Working for You
Blogging: The Google Way to Succeed
How to Become an Authoritative Source on Facebook
5 Simple Ways To Improve Word-Of-Mouth About Your Business
15 Website Mistakes You Should Avoid (Part 1)
Is There Still Gold in Cold Calling?

This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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