Customers are the lifeline of every single business and it makes perfect sense that treating them well has to be a top priority.
Every business decision, every product release, and every marketing campaign should be done according to the preferences of your customers. In other words, customers have to be factored in if you want success.
Furthermore, to be able to retain and acquire customers, you need to be in control of one extremely important thing — growth.
When a business adds a new customer communication channel, it is possible to tap into a new section of customers, easy to better target the current ones, and address any issues some of your customers might have.
However, before you add a new channel, you should examine each option to see which one best suits your target audience.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the five handpicked communication channels that can help you reach customers the way you want to.
5 Customer Communication Channels You Need To Know
1# Live chat
Live chat has become quite popular these days. It is easy to figure out why — it offers 24/7 availability and it is very cost-effective.
This feature, essentially, is an app hosted on your website that allows visitors to connect with live representatives on demand, get answers they need, and resolve their issues.
Live chat is popular nowadays since it has the ability to engage customers in real-time. It is perfect for those individuals that hate speaking with someone over a phone. Instead, this feature offers a quick solution without ever having to dial a phone.
Companies that have cut phone support record a huge reduction when it comes to operating costs. On top of that, having a live chat feature can increase your top-line revenue.
Live chat provides business owners with new insights into browsing habits and customer personas. In turn, this allows entrepreneurs and marketers to craft a more personalized approach at key stages of customer journeys.
2# Social Media
More than 3 billion people have social media accounts on at least one social media platform, while, in most cases, adults follow their favorite brands on their official social media pages.
Therefore, it is inevitable that social media platforms for businesses are still thriving to this day.
Considering this trend, it is obvious that customers often view social media as more than just a method to get issues resolved.
This means that a customer uses a social media platform to boast about having a product, complain about a product, or even promote it on their own!
Logically, many companies have realized this and they are actively employing social media managers to interact with customers, answer their questions, direct them to support agents when there is a problem, and even have fun conversations with them online.
So, if you run a company and you want to succeed in today’s competitive environment, you definitely have to be present on social media.
3# Email Marketing
Email marketing has been around for more time than we would like to admit. It is considered a traditional marketing and communication channel that works like a charm.
Through email, a company gets a communication channel that allows message delivery in a customized manner both to leads and customers.
This communication method is widely used since it is low cost and speaks directly to an audience that has already shown an interest in your business.
It can be used to talk about your brand and send a promotion, give notices, or offer rich content to your customers. Understanding how email communication works is easy, but email marketing is a whole different story.
However, for a start, you should learn something about segmenting contacts and using automation tools. Also, if you have a long list of customers, you should most definitely learn how to send mail merges to them. This way, you will save time by sending one message to multiple customers in a matter of seconds.
4# Phone (VoIP)
A method as old as dirt, but still used by many customers — phone communication channel. However, in order to avoid huge bills and many other hidden costs, a business should consider switching to VoIP technologies.
Voice-over-IP is a technology aimed at turning voice into data by making it possible to place phone calls using the internet highway.
For instance, one popular VoIP technology is Microsoft’s peer-to-peer service Skype. Skype allows phone and video calls to be made worldwide.
By selecting a good plan at a reputable VoIP provider company, you are not only ensuring that the old school customers can reach you if they need to, but you are also saving money while at it. Additionally, VoIP allows multimedia sessions over the internet aside from traditional voice communication.
This is great if you need to demonstrate something to a customer by replicating a face-to-face interaction. All of that results in better customer engagement.
However, bear in mind that you should be careful when buying this type of service as there are a lot of options. To be on the safe side, definitely check out this VoIP phone service buyers guide before making a purchasing decision. It will help you find out everything you need to know before actually investing in this communication channel.
5# Knowledge Base
A knowledge base is your website’s library filled with information about a service, product, topic, and so on. It is designed to provide ‘self-help’ that some customers so desperately want, whenever and wherever they want it.
The biggest benefits of knowledge bases are that they are always available and they require almost no effort by the users. When a user has a question, they can search for it on their own. There is no need to turn to anyone else.
Additionally, a knowledge base can be both external-facing (for customer use) or internal-facing, (used by employees).
External-facing ones usually have FAQs and help guides. Using an internal-facing knowledge base, on the other hand, gives employees a centralized source of information about the company’s important processes.
This is great for existing employees but also new hires that are learning the ropes and adjusting to the new work environment. If you happen to hire often, having an internal knowledge base will play an important role both for staff training and support.
Final Thoughts
Times change and so do customers. It is up to businesses to adapt to new trends and reap benefits.
Communicating with customers is of the utmost importance when it comes to growth. So, make sure that you are using all the right channels to interact and engage the right people.
It would be foolish to miss out on various customer segments just because you didn’t take time to research customer communication preferences.
You May Like To Read:
- 4 Tips for Creating a Trustworthy Relationship with Customers
- 5 Best Ways to Deal with Difficult Customers
- Get the Crowd to Your Stall – Increase Customers
Author Bio: Igor Zagradanin is a content marketing expert with a proven track record of helping businesses by adding value to their brands, developing a content marketing strategies, as well as educating and connecting with their audiences on a personal level. In his spare time, he plays guitar, produces electronic music, does yoga, learns how to ski, and (with more or less success) tries to get in touch with his inner child.
