How ‘Always-On’ Culture is Changing Customer Service

It’s 3 a.m and Emma is finishing up a project for her client. Like 47% of people her age, Emma is a freelancer and often works at odd hours when inspiration strikes her or, more commonly, because a client contacted her with a last minute change that needs to be implemented before the project goes live that morning.

As the seconds tick by, Emma quickly realizes that her computer isn’t working as fast as it should. Or maybe her web builder software isn’t working properly. Or maybe, worst case scenario, her internet is having connectivity issues.

More often than not, Emma’s first plan of attack will be to frantically open Google, comb through the first page of results for anything resembling a solution to her issue, before tearing her hair out at search result after search result of unresolved forum posts.

At this point, it’s 4 a.m. It’s simultaneously too early yet too late. This is the future and present of customer service in the globalized and interconnected world that we live in. Long gone are the days when employees dutifully punched in their card at 9 a.m, walked to their cubicle, and punched out at 5 p.m. Employees now more than ever before are working remotely, working in a variety of time-zones, and, most common of all, working at all hours regardless if it’s a weekend or holiday.

As the workplace adapts, so, too, must businesses to match this growing expectation of consumers. After all, if I’m up working, shouldn’t your company be, too?

This change in expectation has quickly spread. More than half of all consumers believe a business must be available 24/7, and a staggering 92% of them feel satisfied when they use a company’s live chat function, if they have one, to quickly resolve their issue.

Two things must be on the forefront of a business’s mind. First, businesses must be sure to have a variety of helpful information on their website so consumers like Emma will be able to quickly troubleshoot their issue. In this digital information age, consumers increasingly want to help themselves and turn to the internet to do so. Having helpful videos, such as this one, both empowers consumers and ensures traffic to your website.

Secondly, businesses must have an avenue for customers to efficiently contact them 24/7. Live chat, like the one found on Mimeo, is an increasingly popular tool that consumers often prefer. It’s excellent for simple solutions and often helps customers resolve their problems in minutes.

Speed and accessibility are important, but empathy still remains the most important factor when it comes to customer service. Consumers on average feel about nine times more satisfied with a company when they feel the person they’re talking to is willing to help. Happy customers are more likely to tell their friends about their experience.

Being helpful can be one of the best ways to market yourself, and it’s important to be both available and empathetic. As we grow ever connected, businesses will have to continue to utilize technology to open more avenues of communication with their customers.

Mimeo customers never have to worry about being stranded. Our 24/7 chat support ensures that you’ll always be taken care of and our next day delivery means you’ll have everything you need for that important meeting!