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We’re living in an age of “extreme” customer expectations, with 66% anticipating a same-day reply from a new and 43% anticipating a response in an hour or less, as per a Millward Brown study.
So how do marketing teams keep up with this trend? As always, it is ideal to ask those in the very top. Therefore, MarketingTech talked to TalkTalk’s senior internet engagement and articles manager Stephen Fell about what the business does to maintain its customers content online.
What kind of tools does TalkTalk have?
Every good business is going to have some type of a repository of customer service tools, if they are free (social media) or grand and non.
In TalkTalk’s instance, Fell says it utilizes many different tools and ways such as an automation offering and live chat.
“The support we provide via our digital stations is vital,” he said, “Last year we launched our live chat service using the Liveperson platform. Since that time, we’ve seen massive uptake of this service and we’re seeing higher levels of customer satisfaction in this channel vs similar telephony channels.”
The power of peer recommendations and service may have a positive Effect on an angry customer
TalkTalk had a discussion because 2007, but as demand grew it got to keep the platform and support. “We started a hunt for a future-proof, scalable alternative and after a lengthy search, we decided on Lithium for both our strategic community platform and social engagement tool ‘Lithium Response’,” Fell explained
This curates the community consumer generated content and allows ‘super users’ to innovate members in need of assistance into Lithium Response where the team then helps. Fell asserts the merchandise has resulted in a growth in productivity of the service team
How do you encourage brand ambassadors?
TalkTalk’s said their peer to peer community and ‘super users’, so we’re interested to find out about a related group: new ambassadors.
According to Fell, the company’s had a ‘super user’ scheme in the community for a number of years.
“Together with the analytics tools readily available on the Lithium platform, we’re in a position to identify members in the area that aren’t just the most busy but that add the most value with quality contributions. This information can also be used to identify the ‘users of tomorrow’ that are active, quality contributors but maybe not at at the level of the top contributors.
“Knowing these men are allows us to have an immediate conversation together, so we can better understand and get to know the person behind the avatar,” he explained.
TalkTalk incentivises its brand ambassadors with ‘money-can’t-buy’ events and information and calls for them in trials and beta schemes.
Handling upset customers online
Among the problems brands face is negative feedback on an online, open public forum or media that is societal.
Managing these may either make or break the way you’re perceived as a business, but Fell informs MarketingTech it’s about treating each one as a human, not a stat.
“Behind each upset customer is a real individual. It can be tricky to observe this at times, particularly when coping with a customer that is very angry but, more often than not that anger is born from frustration that has been due to your own brand.
“First and foremost, it’s important to ensure they know you are aware of their concerns and are working with them on an answer. Nonetheless, in a public community surroundings, you get a secret weapon that is truly unique to communities and ought to be embraced instead of working as fast as possible to get the customer off-line and closed down,” he said.
Specifically, Fell discusses the merits of having an energetic, peer to peer community where customers can discuss crowdsource solutions and experiences without interference in the brand.
“Contrary to our service staff, our neighborhood is open 24/7, and in virtually every scenario where a customer is upset and submitting, our faithful members will have reacted to them before me. Clients believe than the power of peer reviewed reviewed recommendations and brands and service may have a positive impact on an upset customer. This can at the minimum reassure and calm them down to some point that the actual interaction to solve the issue becomes simple,” he clarified.
Getting customers offline to mitigate damage is not necessarily the best plan of action. Staying public to establish you are open and transparent can work in your favour, Fell added.
How do manufacturers turn negative experiences about?
Last year, for example, TalkTalk suffered a data breach and its website was the subject of a criminal attack. This was a time for the brand and its customers, according to Fell, who shared exactly what the company did to mitigate it for everybody.
“We took a decision to be honest and open with our customers when we had the ability to. We knew how important it was to keep them updated and also to look after them the neighborhood was at the center of this, and as best we could.
“Regardless of being a difficult time, our open, honest and clear approach was the right thing to do and actually, we are now seeing that our clients trust us more and are not as likely to leave than they had been before the criminal assault,” he explained.
TalkTalk is a business that has built an engaged community, including ‘users’ and has slipped back from what might have been a brand encounter.
When it comes to customer support, the organization’s doing something right – but we’d really like to hear exactly what your methods are for promoting a postitive customer experience? Comment below to share them.
