We use our mobile devices for every part of our daily lives – from checking the weather for our morning commute, shooting off a quick e-mail response on that proposal, even shopping online for our holiday gifts. There is no question that consumers are understanding and adopting the mobile way-of-life more and more; however, despite this fact, some companies have not properly implemented a customer service strategy that takes full advantage of the emerging mobile lifestyle.
We recently took a survey, and the results weren’t surprising, but they were telling: If mobile isn’t part of your customer care strategy now, it should be.
My mobile device is a part of me
More than 91 percent of the consumers surveyed have their mobile devices within arm’s reach at all times. Because they want the freedom to interact on the go, 60 percent of consumers would prefer to use their mobile devices for customer care. However, many businesses have not yet embraced this change in consumer behavior by taking full advantage of the innovations possible with mobile.
Passing mobile consumers off to an 800 number for customer service interrupts the brand experience and falls short of customer expectations. Today’s mobile consumer wants to be in control of an interaction in ways that traditional customer service can’t support. If retailers don’t address this need with an offering that’s designed for the mobile lifestyle, customers will eventually migrate to someone who will.
It’s not business, it’s personal
It should come as no surprise that consumers are looking for a more personalized customer service experience. Mobile provides a cost-effective opportunity to meet this need. This type of approach will provide both the agent and the consumer better access to more complete data across interaction modes. For example, once an interaction has started, the agent always knows the full history, and the consumer has it too for an easier interaction. This easy access to personalization will be used to tailor the experience to the individual.
Let me help myself
On top of a heavy reliance on mobile, today’s customers are self-sufficient. They want help on the go, and they want to be able to help themselves. The mobile device should be leveraged to help the customer solve problems quickly and efficiently, without having to take multiple steps to solve a problem. Keep the solution on the device, and you keep your customer happy.
If you want to engage with your customers on a new, more intimate level, leveraging a mobile solution shouldn’t just be a part of your 2014 strategy, it should be the foundation for your strategy. Get mobile, or get left behind.
Edited by Blaise McNamee
