A resolution process is a method to negotiate and diffuse the tension between customers and brands in order to reach an acceptable end for the situation. Speaking in detail, customer service agents receive negative feedback in the form of complaints or issues. They then dig into the cause of the problem and resolve it with the best possible solution – all while staying by the customer’s side all the way through.
No matter your business’ shape, size, and industry, you cannot completely ignore the reality of customer issues, howsoever focused your agents are. Even if your brand does not commit a mistake, one of your clients will ultimately stumble upon a roadblock that leads to your customer support staff.
Sometimes these issues magnify over time, triggering resentment and frustration. As such, complaints crop up quickly and regularly, indicating the urgency of having a resolution process in place for your customer service (CS) team.
This article explains the importance of a resolution process in fostering customer service-led growth, followed by a step-wise guide to build one.
Your clients offer the rawest feedback about your customer service quality. Without their approval, your brand does not grow and succeed. Hence, when customer issues roll in, be all ears as these are opportunities to boost customer experience and avoid potential churn.
A report reveals that 6 out of 10 customers will turn to a new brand after one bad experience with customer service agents. With an effective resolution process, you can beat these odds and talk clients down from the edge of leaving.
To that end, here is how resolution processes help businesses drive customer service-led growth:
People who share their frustration online generally express not only their own sentiments but also those of others too. Have you ever seen any reviews starting with “I’m not sure if I’m the only person to feel this way…”?
This offers an incredible opportunity to stay ahead of customer expectations. Imagine how many hearts you can win – and how many minds you can blow – with a quick resolution.
Still do not believe it? Here is a statistic: 74% of customers will stick with a brand despite its mistake after getting wonderful customer service.
Even if you cannot fix the issue on the spot, the simple act of responding to a complaint/review enhances customer advocacy.
People buy services or products to fulfill a need. However, if they have a forgettable experience with your offering, the demand still exists. With no robust resolution process in action, customers will fulfill their needs elsewhere.
By putting customer satisfaction (CSAT) and issue resolution at the heart of your customer support strategy, you have better odds of improving customer retention rates. Consequently, you can attract more customers to stick with your brand.
Customers’ problems around your service/product or features highlight potential areas for improvement. You no longer have to discover ways to make your service more enticing to customers so that they do not drift away to your competitors. No need to launch bug bounty programs either.
Customer complaints and reviews provide insights into areas you should work on and upgrade. By looking into customers’ complaints, you can identify potential avenues for reinventing your customer service that might have slipped out of your mind earlier.
Having open channels of communication where people can report issues with your customer service works well for your brand’s reputation. It enhances your image and makes your business look caring and reliable.
The more you walk extra lengths to address the reported problems, the more satisfied your customers will be. Happy clients are more likely to share the good word with their acquaintances, bringing in more business.
The following are some vital factors to consider while establishing a resolution process:
Issue resolution happens when you and your customers are on the same page regarding the solution to solve the problem. The process of reaching that satisfied state demands a fine mix of empathy, self-awareness, listening, and insightful negotiations.
To implement a healthy (and profitable) method to issue resolution, you need the right mindset and strategies. Use this six-step handbook for building a resolution process for your customer support/service team.
Take time to listen and understand what customers have to say about their problems. No matter how ineffectively customers express anger, be kind and respectful to them.
Complaints contain insights, so seek out the root cause of the problem using Socratic inquiry.
Ask your customer these questions:
Simultaneously, ask yourself these questions:
After asking these questions, determine whether there is a way to fix the problem and check if the complaint packs valuable feedback. If you realize you are not the right person for the situation, transfer the complaint to the appropriate support agent.
Look at the resources, methods, and tools your customer service agents use for issue resolution. Check whether their approaches are effective enough to help customers out and if any improvements/adjustments are needed.
Determine metrics and key performance indicators (KPI) to measure your agent’s performance in resolving customer issues. Common KPIs for a resolution process include:
Customer satisfaction score: Focuses on how well support agents have addressed and solved customers’ problems
Average response time: It is the average amount of time agents take to respond to a customer’s query
First-call resolution rate: The percentage of customer issues resolved during the first interaction with your customer service agent
Based on those findings, identify where your system or customer service team is doing well and where they need to work on. Accordingly, create actionable recommendations to boost issue resolution efforts. This involves offering additional resources or training, optimizing existing processes, or deploying new technologies or tools.
Case in point, you can use automation tools such as AI-powered chatbots to handle basic or recurring customer complaints. Or, you can use an AI-powered customer service software to prioritize customer queries and respond accordingly.
Furthermore, introduce multiple communication channels to receive customer complaints/feedback from various platforms. These include social media messaging, live chat support, or self-service options (FAQs or a comprehensive knowledge base).
Build holistic training modules covering the issue resolution process, including best practices, step-wise guidelines, and real-life examples. These materials can take the form of presentations, training manuals, knowledge bases, or online modules.
Besides, teach your customer service agents effective communication skills such as empathy, active listening, and clear and concise communication. Simulations or role-playing exercises can help them rehearse their communication skills in realistic environments.
Furthermore, explain to your agents how to navigate complex situations and identify suitable solutions. Train them on methods like critical thinking, root-cause analysis, and decision-making to help them examine customer problems accurately.
Communicate the new resolution process to your customer service team. Explain the steps, goals, and desired outcomes of the process, including response times, escalation process, and more. Then, assign team members to handle customer complaints, from initial response and investigation to resolution and follow-up.
Track the resolution process over the following 90 days. Review and gather relevant data on the defined metrics (resolution rates, response times, and customer feedback). Spot trends, patterns, and any challenges that emerge from the data throughout the period.
Post the 90-day test period, communicate the results and findings to all stakeholders involved in your customer service strategy. Compare them with the baseline or pre-implementation metrics to measure the effectiveness of the resolution process.
Use these insights and lessons learned from the 90-day test to set new goals and continuously refine the resolution process as needed.
For instance, measure the percentage of customer complaints resolved on the first interaction. A high first-call resolution rate indicates effective problem-solving. However, a low rate suggests the need for better knowledge resources, training, or empowerment for customer service agents to handle complaints independently.
Finally, log the entire strategy in an internal database for future reference and let your agents use it as a reference if they slide into dicey situations.
Problems arise. Your customer service agents have to handle upset customers – it is part of the job. However, getting issues and negative feedback from your customers is not at all bad if you know how to manage them.
Resolution processes empower customer support agents to diffuse these situations, calm customers down, and figure out a solution to solve the issue. In one masterful customer-facing conversation, you can tame a frustrated client, understand their needs better, and brighten their day.
When done well, well-defined resolution processes help you convert difficult interactions into opportunities to exceed customers’ expectations, shape their perception of your brand, and boost customer retention.
Besides, letting customers know you relate to their concerns will offer potential ones another reason to consider doing business with your brand.
If customers leave satisfied after interacting with your support agents, they will spread the word among family, friends, and connections – inviting more business for your company.
All at zero cost.
Looking for a more effective way to resolve customer issues? Enjoy your 14-day free trial of Helpwise now.
Having a resolution process for customers’ complaints is crucial for the following reasons:
Businesses striving for customer-led growth should focus on the following factors while creating a resolution process:
Follow these steps to establish a resolution process for better customer service in 2023:
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