Technology has enabled consumers to be connected to their various devices 24/7 if they choose to be. Smartphones can do almost every task that was once only available to owners of PC’s. With the invention of apps, smartphone users are able to stay connected to social media, the internet, and email wherever they go. In the age of the connected consumer, businesses risk losing customers by not keeping up with their connectivity.

To provide optimal customer service in 2018, the age of the connected consumer, businesses need to consider all the ways customers are connected. Good and bad experiences can spread very quickly when consumers have so many methods of communication at their fingertips. There are three things businesses need to keep in mind when dealing with connected consumers.

Personal Touch

Connected consumers still want a personal touch even though they aren’t dealing with you face-to-face. This can be achieved through personal offers based on consumers’ past buying or browsing history. In order to provide personal experiences for your consumers, you must have reliable and relevant data on which to base the offers. You can use data to obtain actionable intelligence.

Need for Immediate Attention

When you are connected 24/7, you get used to instant gratification. Companies need to prepare their customer contact centers for this by intermingling the channels through which their customers can find them. Integrate social media into your customer service center offerings, for example. Connected consumers have higher expectations of timely interactions and social media is a convenient way of connecting to your consumers quickly.

Connected consumers don’t like to wait for a response from the customer contact center. They are also more likely to leave a review because they are so connected. Aim to make their experience a positive one by applying measures to make contact center response time as quick as possible.

Attention to Detail

Customers like it when you focus on their needs rather than your desire to make a sale. A connected consumer has likely done a lot of research regarding their purchases simply because they are connected and it’s easy. This doesn’t mean they don’t need further information. The five stages of listening can also be applied to conversations that don’t involve speaking. Receive the information, understand and remember it, then evaluate and respond.

When providing the best customer service in the age of the connected consumer, you need to make sure you pay attention to what the customer’s wants and needs are, respond to them as quickly as possible and provide service that is as customized to their needs as possible.

If you’re not sure how consumers feel about the customer experience you are providing, check out KOVA’s Customer Experience Survey Software. With a longstanding history of excellent customer service and expert applications of systems and software, KOVA can help with customer experience and retention. Our Customer Experience Survey Software lets you know what customers truly believe about their experience with your company. To learn more about how you can gather valuable feedback from your customers, contact us today.