Looking Ahead – Mobile Users and the Contact Centre

How to amp-up your mobile customer service methods in order to connect with the fastest, youngest, savvy customers: the mobile set.

What are the most vital and central factors of your life? Your family? Your friends or coworkers?

What about your smartphone? Does “central aspect” feel a bit too strong for your thoughts about your relationship to your mobile device? If so, you’re in the minority: new data from Exact Target research found 85 percent of survey respondents believe their mobile devices to be “central aspects” of their lives.

For the wired business, simply having an online presence isn’t enough. A website and social media channels are important, but today’s consumers want more than that: they want full access to the same level of service they would receive from a telephone contact centre, but deliverable online from their mobile devices.

The Mobile Trend

The shift toward mobile smartphone usage may be happening somewhat gradually, but it’s certainly moving in a clear direction: up. In fact, StatCounter’s May 2014 Global Stats report showed global mobile traffic as a percentage of Internet traffic steadily climbing over the years 2008 through 2014, a total rise of 24.1 percent. Neglecting mobile is not only unwise but also positively foolhardy with statistics like that above showing such a clear trend. It will only continue, and contact centres without the capacity to deliver a quality mobile experience will be left in the dust.

What Do You Need?

Is optimizing your company website for mobile browsers enough to tap into to this vital piece of the customer service pie? Not really. It turns out mobile browsing is still the smallest component of the average smartphone addict’s web usage. While your website must be optimized for mobile traffic, there are more useful ways to deliver a quality customer experience that is accessible completely by smartphone or tablet.

1. Mobile Apps

It may seem a little out of the box, but many companies now offer dedicated smartphone apps connecting customers to customer service. A dedicated app can offer your business an excellent opportunity to interface with customers on a very personal level in a well-executed style, manner and voice.

Apps are still notoriously buggy, though. Be sure to invest in a good developer and make sure everything works as it should before turning your app loose online. You don’t want to do more harm than good in your mobile venture.

2. Go Mobile-Social

An excellent way to tap into your customers’ desires to do just about everything with their smartphones is to offer top-notch customer service via social media. Everyone has Twitter and Facebook installed on their smartphones, so a well-wired contact centre can offer a wireless customer service experience through these social networks.

Again, not every contact centre is ready for this step, and the same training and characteristics that make a good telephone agent may not be ideal for a social media customer service pro. Be sure you can offer seamless social service before pulling the trigger on this technique.

3. Lightning Speed

Mobile customer service comes with a caveat that can become its greatest asset if you can meet customer expectations for mobile speed. You can’t be a truly mobile contact centre while running at the velocity of a telephone client service operation. Mobile service can benefit your contact centre by helping reduce the numbers of telephone staff required and time needed to resolve inquiries, but you must be prepared to pull it off effectively and efficiently. Consider this qualifier before trying and failing at mobile customer service speed calisthenics.

Mobile is the New Black

The trend toward mobile is clear, so what are you going to do about it? Maintaining status quo while your competitors come up with new and innovative ways to provide excellent customer service deliverable to a handheld device will not win you new customers or the loyalty of those you already have. Consider the benefits above along with the limitations of your current service model before committing fully to the mobile mindset. Want more tips on how to deliver world-class client service in a well-rounded contact centre? Check out our free white paper.