Source: Oberlo
As an agent in the email support process, you may feel the pressure to respond quickly to customers with the growing popularity of social media and messaging applications. When you have the responsibility to manage a seemingly large number of customer service emails, it is easy to sometimes lose sight of each email’s value. Unlike phone-based customer service, emails tend to leave a lot of room for interpretation and some may not necessarily be in your favour. Therefore, this statistic enhances the need to improve the overall customer experience that a client has with a company by speaking to them effectively and clearly through the medium of email.
To the person on the receiving end, a single interaction can make or break their impression of the brand or business. It is also one of the support processes that need more than just technology to get right. It needs a service representative that greatly contributes to the level of satisfaction felt by customers that interact with the company or brand. An email directly influences everything from brand credibility and reputation to repeat purchases to how someone speaks about your brand privately and/or publicly to their lifetime value. This also explains why more and more companies are looking for agents to fill their jobs in the email support process.
Let us give you a few reasons why you need to up your email support game
- Benchmark portal conducted a study and found that “A few companies, therefore, agents that promptly respond to emails command a loyal audience base and have a better customer satisfaction score”.
- Forrester reported that 54% of customers used email to get in touch with customer support last year, making it the most used digital channel for customer service.
- According to a study conducted by Netomi, 43% of people choose email as there is a record of a conversation that can be referenced at any time, and 40% of consumers prefer email because they are not interested in having a real-time interaction and that it is entirely based on their convenience. Lastly, 43% of customers have said that they prefer email as it is daily used in personal and professional communication across all devices making it not only convenient but also quick and effortless.
Some of our tips for you to ace your game as an email support professional are as follows:
Tip #1 Personalize your email interactions
Source:
NewVoiceMedia reported that 42% of customers are put off by rude, arrogant or unsupportive customer service staff. The synergy of the customer support world lies in personalized services that are used way too liberally now without really understanding what it truly means. Why do people prefer real agent written emails over automated ones? For the reason that each mail should feel personal, this personalization comes down to really making your customers feel comfortable and making them feel like they are doing business with a human, not just a soulless company.
To start off with, make sure to
- Use their name. By using a customer’s name you are subtly conveying through the email that you view them as an individual that is valued by the company and that they aren’t a faceless customer.
- Use please, sorry and thank you appropriately as your emails need to convey the right feeling to their readers.
- Make sure to add your name to the email too as it shows the reader that they have spent their time interacting with a real person who has understood their needs or requirements and will help them out.
Source: GrooveHq
As an agent, it is up to you to make a fundamentally impersonal medium feel personal. Amazing customer interaction via email would mean framing each customer interaction as one between two people as opposed to one between a customer and a faceless, nameless company, brand or business.
For emails that require answering questions or queries
Sometimes when a customer approaches the customer support of a brand by asking questions, it is the responsibility of the agent to respond to the email in the right way.
Tip #2 Answer all of their questions, concerns or queries
While we would all love just ‘one’ customer service query or question, it is not always so. Often times a single customer email is inundated with multiple questions. You have the responsibility of answering them all.
Hi [Customer First Name],
Thanks for reaching out to us. I can definitely help you with those questions.
How do I change the information on my debit card?
Step 1. Click on the My Account icon in the top right corner of your screen.
Step 2. Your account page will appear. Select Payment Options from the menu on the right side of the screen.
Step 3. Click on the Add Card Info button.
Step 4. Fill out the form with your card information.
Step 5. Click Save.
When will my refund be processed?
Once your return package has been received, it can take up to 7 business days to process. You will receive an email once your return has been processed. The refund will be issued to the original form of payment.
Thanks for getting in touch with us. Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Regards,
[Agent Name]
The last thing you want to do is have a customer become frustrated with you for answering only half of their questions. To avoid their displeasure and the additional job of having to send extra follow-up emails, ensure to nip all queries in the bud in your initial email response.
Tip #3 Request additional information the right way if required
Unlike phone conversations, it is not always easy to extract all the information that you need through the medium of email. When creating an email that requests additional information, be as welcoming and friendly as possible.
Hi [Customer First Name),
Thanks for contacting us. I’m happy to assist you with your concern. I just need a little more information, so I will know exactly what’s going on. Could you please send me a screenshot of the error message you’re receiving? Once I have this information, I’ll be able to better solve the issue.
Best,
[Agent’s Name]
Also, make sure to be prompt with your response. Just by doing so, you will be creating a more positive customer experience. If you have been aspiring to work in any of our eight domains as an email support representative, then it is your time to sign up with VOIZ now!