5 essential customer service tips: acquisition + retention

Have you heard that consumer dissatisfaction can be costly? An Accenture study found that this loss can reach US$ 217 billion. In contrast, “delighting” usually yields results. With that in mind, we have selected the top five customer service tips so your team can adopt a consultative and solution‑oriented approach, ensuring the success of all parties involved.  

In other words, delighting customers is about exceeding expectations, based on a culture of excellence. In this way, your company is seen as a business partner, positioning itself as a kind of facilitator or even a “problem solver”. Much more than just a service provider, right?

Moreover, with demanding and engaged consumers, it’s not enough to focus only on acquisition. Therefore, our customer service tips also involve relationship quality, which in turn generates loyalty. After all, the combination of these elements contributes to sustained growth of organizations, especially in times of crisis.  

Why implement the customer service tips?

Unsatisfied customers migrate to the competition. According to the Accenture study, 80% of people are decreasing their loyalty to brands, consequently affecting corporate profits. However, this “exodus” could have been avoided in many cases through relationship actions focused on improving customer service, by understanding the needs of each target audience.

For example, the COVID-19 pandemic affected society in many areas, from health, employment, logistics, and even energy consumption, among many other aspects. Therefore, solutions must be developed to meet the new market demands. According to PwC, 45% of people started using their phone as a shopping channel and 86% intend to maintain this behavior after social distancing ends.

From this perspective, we will discuss the essential customer service tips, emphasizing acquisition and loyalty. This is because such initiatives are fundamental to enable effective account management while adding value to the services provided.

5 customer service tips: acquisition + loyalty

Those who provide good service can achieve various benefits, including:

• Generate new business;

• Increase revenue;

• Strengthen the brand;

• Motivate employees;

• Reduce costs;

• And much more.

In this sense, we list the top five customer service tips to inspire good organizational practices.  

1. Foster quality dialogues with target audiences

Relationship is the formula for success. In other words, strengthening ties with target audiences can be a competitive differentiator in the market. Therefore, it is essential to engage with stakeholders in a humanized and personalized manner, creating environments conducive to mutual collaboration and engagement, such as:

• Invest in internal communication to motivate the team;

• Provide channels for customers to give feedback on service delivery;

• Create processes to effectively handle received feedback;

• Include alignment and feedback meetings in the routine.

Some examples of stakeholders are: customers, shareholders, suppliers, the surrounding community, and also the employees themselves. Speaking of which, the internal audience is one of the main assets of a successful company, as motivated professionals are much more productive.

2. Delight customers by exceeding their expectations  

Yes, you can sell more by delighting customers! Moreover, adopting a culture of excellence means not limiting yourself to the service itself, but promoting a delightful, positive, and memorable experience.  

Delivering ahead of schedule and speeding up request processing are two ways to do this, but they are not the only ones. For that, consider three key points:  

• Proactivity, anticipating potential problems that may arise;

• Balance between demands and deliveries, to avoid frustration and loss of trust;

• Resolution, with friendly service, comprehensive support, and effective solutions.

3. Show that you have a motivating purpose

Invest in digital marketing actions to promote the “reason” for your company's existence, i.e., the brand you aim to leave in the world. The concept of the golden circle says precisely this: it’s not about selling to people who need what you have; it’s about selling to those who believe in what you believe.

More and more, consumers seek to identify with the social purpose of organizations, such as commitment to human rights and the sustainable agenda.

4. Practice active listening  

Willingness to hear what people have to say can make all the difference in quality relationships, whether with customers, employees, suppliers, and others. Moreover, practicing empathy goes beyond “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes,” as it involves diversity, social inclusion, and equity.

5. Embrace a win‑win approach

To cap off the customer service tips, we must highlight the importance of creating value for all parties involved in a business, from internal to external audiences.

For example, we at Serena Energia created the Partners Program, aimed at providing more agility, transparency, and security for energy consulting firms, thus reducing operational work through a 100% digital platform.

Plus: some additional customer service tips

Indeed, a single post would not be enough to cover all recommendations in detail. Therefore, in addition to the points we have already covered, it is also important to consider the following tips for good customer service:

• The standard of excellence should be perceived at all touchpoints, departments, and available channels;

• When your team is properly engaged, results can be increased significantly;

• Think about the customer experience and review the necessary processes to make it the best possible;

• Consider adopting a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool to improve customer relationship management;

• Research good examples in the market, remembering to adapt strategies to your company's reality;

• Identify which channels are frequently accessed and the most effective types of service: phone, email, in‑person, chat, and others;

• If an error occurs on the company's part, be honest, take responsibility, and aim to resolve the issue as soon as possible;

• Keep in mind that patience, attention, resilience, and organization are essential factors;

• A humanized perspective brings more connection and also facilitates understanding of the demands of those seeking a particular service.

Finally, we hope these customer service tips are useful for improving your company and generating new business. Keep following the Serena Talks, Serena's blog to stay up‑to‑date with energy sector trends and read more articles like this.

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