Brands that are in the growth stage, understand the importance of their customers. The only thing that grows a brand, is increase in the number of their customers. But, how do customers grow? What are the key factors leading to this increase?

1. Latest Technology
2. Innovative Product
3. Ease of Use
4. Accessibility/Availability
5. Strong Sales Channel
6. All out Marketing Strategy
7. Attractive Pricing/Offers
8. Effective Customer Service

Yes! 'Effective Customer Service' is the most important factor in retaining the existing customers and attracting prospects. The spur in digital media has made customer the real king, digital consumers become most important. We all know that, if a customer is happy, he would tell 1 person (mostly when asked), but if the customer is unhappy, he would tell it to 4 people. On the other hand, if a digital customer is unhappy, he would tell the whole world (courtesy:internet), thus damaging the brand's reputation. In call centers, there are special departments for handling high net worth customers as their reach were high. However, on digital, all the customers are special, since everything is on open platforms.

Brands that take care of their digital customers perform better than those brands who think traditional customer service channels are sufficient. In the current competitive scenario, where the consumers have multiple options for purchasing a product/service, effective customer service help brands in standing out of the crowd. On digital, customers expect quick and customised responses to their queries. Unhappy digital customers have the potential to slow down your brand's growth by creating negativity which in turn will restrict the prospects to consider your product/service.

Whenever the sales are down, brands relook at the marketing strategies rather than listening to the consumer's need. They spend more money on marketing to attract consumers in the form of promotions, offers, discounts, etc., however, customer service is looked at as a department to cut costs. A curious example of lockdown in the country due to #Covid19 has led to decrease in the consumption of marketing activities, however, it has increased the number of queries related to a brand. Digital platforms have become a saviour to everyone when physical touch points are closed. Consumers have access to the internet and have used it heavily to raise their queries. The question is:

• Are you present where your customers need you?
• Do you feel that your customers' queries are as important as your product/service?
• Do you want to convert the unfortunate situation into an opportunity or wait for it to get over and then resume?

If you are not taking the opportunity, someone else will. If you are still thinking to invest in digital customer service excellence, then surely you are losing out your customers.

If you are looking at ways to improve your digital customer service, send me an email on athik.ansari@cerebratesolutions.in