MarketStar Blog | Sales (5)

The roles of customer success and marketing are different, and yet interdependent. The former interacts with customers to help them derive maximum value from the products they buy.

Most sales reps congratulate themselves on a job well done when customers sign on the dotted line, but in reality, that is only the beginning. Customers buy a product with a purpose, and companies need to ensure that the purpose for which they bought the product is well served. But this is not always so. Technology companies often have a way of making customer onboarding complicated and daunting. They put their customers through complex product tutorials, long-form pdf guides, endless how-to videos, and tedious sign-up processes as a way of welcoming them on board. Consider these alarming stats:

Great customer service pays. It leads to customer loyalty, increased profits, and a better brand image. Customer service is not just about gifts or coupons and promotional schemes. It involves putting customers’ needs first and making them feel good after they interact with your organization. Each customer-facing employee should know how to communicate with customers, what kind of words to use, and how to solve simple problems. A study published by Harvard Business Review found that buyers who have a positive experience with a brand are likely to spend as much as 140% more than average.1

Digital technology is evolving at a rapid pace. Business needs are in constant flux. And organizations are looking for flexible solutions that can evolve with their needs. This has resulted in subscription-based products and solutions being given preference over pay-per-product models. “Subscription businesses are proliferating because billions of digital customers are increasingly favoring access over ownership”, writes Tien Tzuo, CEO of cloud-based solutions company Zuoro, in his book, ‘Subscribed’.¹

The role of contact centers has evolved over the years, with the emphasis now on improving customer experiences and generating revenue for companies. It's not just about the delivery of customer service or cutting costs anymore. Rather, it's about building relationships with your customers and maintaining these relationships effectively.

If a customer is unhappy with your brand, it is very likely that they have not had a seamless experience during their interactions with the brand across multiple touch points and devices. A ‘unified customer journey’ approach holds immense potential for brands. Having a well-orchestrated omni-channel strategy will ensure that customer convenience is always treated as topmost priority.

ROI is a cold, hard number that business executives can use to determine the profitability of an investment. As such, it’s one of the most important parameters that they take into account when considering the adoption of new solutions or services.

Satisfying today’s customers is an uphill task, for they are spoilt for choice!

Much of what’s been talked about so far seems, at first glance, to lie far off in the possible future. But, as most experts point out, the Internet of Things is already here. While adoption barriers may affect the pace with which widespread adoption of IoT technologies occurs, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the transition to a hyper-connected economy is inevitable. The question then is, how does an organization transition from where it stands today, with varying levels of integration with digital technologies, to this hyperconnected future?

So, you’ve heard that Customer Success is the new industry buzzword, and read a dozen articles on how you’re company can benefit from focusing on it. But where do you go from there?