The dreaded customer support – love it or hate it, one thing’s for sure, it’s necessary, and it’s a vital part of virtually any industry. With the rise of the global market, more companies are dealing with an influx of orders and customers, resulting in some customer support issues.
However, how you deal with these issues is that sets your company apart from others. Customers are the most important part of your business. Without them, there’s no income. And, if your customer support efforts aren’t good enough, you’ll end up with a bunch of negative reviews and a worsened brand reputation.
Proactive customer support has been in the spotlight recently due to the many benefits associated with it. This might be the perfect solution for businesses that are struggling with customer care. But what is proactive customer support, and why is it important? Let’s find out.
What Is Proactive Customer Support?
The whole point of proactivity is to predict and react to issues in a preventative manner. The same goes for proactive customer support. So, in customer support terms, proactive support is when you identify and resolve customer issues before they grow into bigger problems. Proactive customer support examples include:
- Live chat
- Recorded answers to common questions
- Tooltips
Many companies have started implementing this type of support because it has proven to be quite effective and less stressful. There are two main types of customer support – proactive and reactive. Below, we’ll discuss the main differences, as well as the benefits and downsides of each one.
Proactive Customer Support vs. Reactive Customer Support
Recent technological advancements offer more opportunities than traditional systems that were in place up until recently. Customers require an immediate response and other convenient ways of communication to respond to their issues and concerns.
Pros:
| Proactive Customer Support | Reactive Customer Support |
| Improved conversions | Requires fewer agents on standby |
| Planning messages in advance | Requires less effort |
| Better engagement | It’s not as spammy |
| Better connection with customers | |
| Improved loyalty |
Cons:
| Proactive Customer Support | Reactive Customer Support |
| It requires contact communication efforts | Not that many interactions with customers |
| Not all customers want immediate assistance | Decreased brand loyalty |
| Users can feel annoyed at pop-ups |
Benefits of Proactive Customer Support
Proactive customer support simply shows that you care. However, that’s not the only benefit associated with implementing proactive customer service in your business plan. Here are some other benefits you’ll reap by considering this type of communication:
It Increases Customer Loyalty
Customers love immediate responses. With such a high cart abandonment rate, it is evident that customers’ minds are easily changed. So, if they have a question or concern, they want it resolved immediately, or they’ll leave your website and choose another service, leaving you with fewer conversions and fewer customers.
On the other hand, they will appreciate your readiness if you react promptly, and you’ll likely score a sale. Not only that, but you’ll likely get even more loyal customers because your reviews will be stellar – everyone loves good customer support.
It Decreases Support Calls
Support calls are very time-consuming and strenuous. No one enjoys them, but they’re necessary. But, there’s something even better – proactive support. While proactive support won’t completely eradicate the need for actual calls, it will still help in decreasing the call rate.
It Helps with Acquiring New Customers
Customer acquisition is one of the more difficult parts of owning and managing a business. Turning a lead into paying customers is difficult, but once you manage to do it, the chances of them becoming regular increases significantly.
What’s the best way to attract new customers? Make them feel loved and special. Proactive support does just that – it gives them immediate responses and other incentives to ensure that they’re familiar with the service and end up buying.
It Boosts Customer Satisfaction
Proactive support also boosts customer satisfaction. Customers are spending their own money on your products and service, which is why they should be cared for. Good customer support efforts are a great stepping stone to creating a steady customer support base. Proactive support will ensure that all your customers are taken care of before any issues arise, creating a great environment for both buyers and business owners. Plus, your online reviews will be stellar.
Conclusion
Proactive support is the future of customer support; there’s no doubt about it. The fact that most industry giants like Netflix and Facebook are using it is proof enough that it works and is effective. However, if you’re still not convinced, let’s quickly review some stats:
- 90% of customers rate immediate responses as important
- 70% of customers have a more favorable view of brands that use proactive support compared to ones that don’t
- Proactive customer support can result in a 20-30% reduction in call center calls, which means that your call center operating costs will be lower by 25%
- 83% of customers want an immediate interaction with someone when they reach out to a company
So don’t wait any longer – implement proactive customer service now and watch your business bloom.
