Customer support - help and advice that a company makes available to customers when they have bought something
What is meant by customer support?
Customer support is a set of services provided by a company to a customer. It is also a part of customer relationship management. Companies use a Helpdesk to provide customer support. Thus, customers can connect with the company through different types of channels. For instance: Email, Phone, or Live chat.
Companies assist in installation and training. Moreover, they try to resolve customers’ problems and queries.
What is the difference between customer service and customer support?
The main difference between the two is that customer support is responsible for assisting a customer with technical issues. On the other hand, customer service is about helping the customer use the product/service to its full potential. This is where you engage with customers and grow customer relations. Thus, providing the best value.
If you would like to learn more details, read Customer service vs Customer support.
Why is customer support important?
Having customer support is important because it creates a loyal customer base. However, there are way more benefits.
Here are a few benefits of having good customer support:
- Higher sales
- Higher revenue
- Customer satisfaction
- Customer retention
- Efficient workflow
What are the most effective customer support channels?
Live chat
Live chat is an important part of every customer support software. It enables your customer representatives to chat or simply approach customers in real-time. It is believed that millenials are the only ones who use live chat. However, there are also other age groups that use live chat. Don’t miss out on live chat and its benefits.
If you would like to learn more, read LiveAgent – Live chat.
Emails are the usual and basic part of every customer support. Some might say, it can be a lengthy form of support channel. Why? Well simply, because it can take longer to resolve an issue/problem. However, the reach via Email is worldwide and it is still a well-used channel.
If you would like to learn more, read LiveAgent – Email.
Phone
The phone is also one of the preferred ways to reach out to your customer support. It is used by customers who might not be tech-savvy or simply just prefer to have a conversation (the human-touch).
If you would like to learn more, read LiveAgent – Phone.
Social Media (SoMe)
Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. These are just a few platforms where customers interact with each other. Moreover, they engage with your brand/company. Answering customer inquiries or helping customers via SoMe is a crucial part these days for every customer support. Customer service software, such as LiveAgent can help you manage SoMe inquiries from one interface. Thus, being able to efficiently answer and engage with all kinds of customers.
If you would like to learn more, read LiveAgent – Social Media.
Customer portal/Self-service
Having a customer portal/Self-service is important to operate 24/7 as a business. Therefore, even though your customer agents are not available, your customers still get the needed support. This could be via Knowledge Base articles that provide; guides, product information, videos, and more.
If you would like to learn more, read LiveAgent – Knowledge Base.
What is customer support software?
Customer service software, such as LiveAgent creates an optimal workflow for your customer agents that make them more efficient and effective at the same time. The ability that stands out the most is that a customer representative does not have to switch between interfaces while working. Thus, being able to resolve a customer inquiry from all kinds of channels from one place.
One important help desk feature that allows businesses to manage customer support requests is a customer support ticketing solution. It is a type of software that automatically turns every customer request into a ticket which can be then assigned to the appropriate agent or department.
All of the above-mentioned channels are included in LiveAgent.
Other LiveAgent features:
- CRM
- Canned messages/ Predefined messages
- Merge tickets/inquiries
- Rules/SLAs
- Analytics overview
- Video chat with customers and colleagues too
If you would like to learn more, read about all LiveAgent – Features here.
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Frequently asked questions
How to define customer support?
Customer service is a range of services offered by an organization to help customers with their problems with your product or services and to support them in getting the most out of using your product. It includes answering customer questions and helping with problem solving.
What are the principles of customer support?
The key to good customer service is, above all, building lasting, good relationships with customers. For this to happen, the customer service team needs to know what customers think is good customer service, stay up to date with customer feedback that helps improve customer service, and look for ways to improve customer service and exceed customer expectations.
What tools to use to provide the best customer support?
In order to provide the best customer service, it is good to use several tools and communication channels that allow for comprehensive service. It is worth engaging in communication using communicators in social media, e-mail, text messages. In addition to these traditional forms, it is worth building communities in groups on social media or online forums, where clients can contact each other and chat with experts. Live chat is an important tool that allows you to chat in real time when a customer needs quick help. Customer service is also improved by a responsive and intuitive mobile application. In addition, the customer service team should have an appropriate system from which they will be able to manage all channels.
Expert note
Excellent customer support is crucial for business success. Providing personalized service, responding quickly to inquiries, and actively listening to feedback can differentiate companies from competitors and grow customer loyalty.
Online support has become an essential aspect of customer service for all businesses, with countless advantages impacting customer satisfaction and affecting a company's long-term success and profitability. Offering online support means delivering customer service digitally through multiple channels such as email, live chat, social media platforms, messaging apps, etc. Gathering feedback, being proactive, and utilizing technology to improve support are all important. Companies need to avoid long response times, lack of personalization and empathy, insufficient training, ignoring customer feedback, and lack of monitoring and measurement. Online support provides convenience because it allows customers to access help at any time of the day, from anywhere, using channels they prefer.
A customer representative is an employee who interacts with customers on behalf of a company. They handle various inquiries, complaints and act as the voice of the company. Many companies use customer service software to provide support. To become a customer representative, communication skills are important along with soft and technical skills. Training is essential and involves shadowing seniors agents and learning on the go. After completing training, learning continues with on-the-job experiences and potential new training.
Customer advocacy is a form of customer service where a company focuses on meeting the needs of their customers, which can lead to increased sales, customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty. A customer advocacy program encourages representatives to share positive thoughts about products/services through word-of-mouth or social media. Tips for improving customer experience include using customer support software, listening to customers, and personalizing the customer journey. Customer advocates play a role in informing potential customers about a company's products or services and driving sales through positive customer experiences. Companies can drive customer advocacy by building a profile of customer advocates, making them feel special, and using social media to observe customer engagement and ask for reviews. Measuring customer advocacy is best done through customer reviews and testimonials.
The article discusses the importance of chat support as a popular communication channel between customers and brands. It also highlights the benefits of helpdesk support and the use of help desk software, such as LiveAgent, to streamline customer support services. The article also provides tips for offering the best online tech support, including the necessary skills for tech support agents and the use of feedback options to improve customer service. The text also includes information about LiveAgent and its features for businesses looking to improve their technical support system.