By Paul Weichselbaum, EVP, PlumChoice
How many “me too” retailers are you competing against in today’s fast-paced, device- and technology-centric market? What are you doing to deliver superior experiences that differentiate your brand and your products – and keep your customers coming back to you and not the other guys?
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Here’s a scenario: Your company sells or manufactures smart and HD televisions. A customer calls with questions about why her universal remote won’t speak to both her TV and DVR set top box. On the one hand she did not buy the remote from you, but on the other it’s a product that is built to work with the device you sold to her. Do you turn her away because it’s not your problem, or do you offer a solution that can extend and enhance your brand?
I’d venture to guess that a majority of your competitors turn this customer away – and so they go away … frustrated and perhaps even a bit angry. These retailers have whiffed on the opportunity to help their customers optimize and enjoy their products, while at the same time building their brand by providing a meaningful, exceptional customer experience – one that their competitors can’t (or don’t) match. In the end, “I can’t help you” becomes synonymous with “I don’t care about you.” Providing an enhanced service experience goes a long way in this real-time, socially oriented world we live in. According to recent data from a survey conducted by Dimensional Research and sponsored by ZenDesk, good news travels almost as quickly as bad news (87 percent of respondents share good news and 95 percent share bad news), with social media a growing channel for those communications. (For more info on the importance of word-of-mouth marketing, check out this earlier post from ForeSee’s Larry Freed.)
Retailers who sell technical products must both anticipate the support needs for their own devices and programs – and also support all the technologies that communicate with those products in consumers’ homes and offices. By reaching beyond your own brand-specific knowledge, and helping consumers use your products as part of a larger, technical environment or network, you’re elevating your relationship with the customer and establishing your brand as a go-to for all (or most) things technical. Brand loyalty and greater share of wallet naturally follow.
The question then becomes, “How do I offer this support, scale it to my customers’ needs and ensure my brand is benefiting from it?” Many retailers look to third-party, white-label support partners to assist with and monitor these technically advanced inquiries. The right service provider partner will be armed with the resources and skills to answer a wide array of technical questions about a broad set of devices, software and tools, relieving you of having to worry about managing another support team.
In most cases, retailers and manufacturers successfully pass along the cost of these programs to the customers who use them. The technical support might involve a one-time fee, or a subscription-based pricing plan that will enable the consumer to tap this knowledge base several times over a period of time and for a multitude of technical needs. Typically, end users gladly pay for these services, as evidenced by a RightNow Customer Experience Impact Report, which found that 86 percent of consumers will pay for better customer experiences.
Interestingly, a few retailers and manufacturers have started to absorb these costs – or at least some of them – in the name of exceptional customer experiences. It’s a fantastic marketing tactic and customer service effort that speaks to what today’s customer promise and warranty should look like – and the value of those services can be leveraged to differentiate your brand. The costs are offset by the loyalty you instill in that customer. Your brand receives additional value from the insight and intelligence you gain from your peek into that customer’s full technical environment, and the potential to upsell complementary products or services.
That said, regardless of who’s paying the bill, this level of advanced support and customer care is a must if you want to gain an edge in this highly technical, incredibly competitive retailing world. Technical support is about helping your customers efficiently use and optimize your products. It’s not just about selling a “thing” – it’s about selling an experience – and that experience is now affected by an ecosystem of technology and tools.
Are you prepared to answer the call?
Paul Weichselbaum is the Executive VP of PlumChoice, a company that creates, executes and manages white-label technical support programs for Fortune 500 companies, including top retailers, telcos and independent software vendors.
