Delivering Positive Experiences for Telecom and Utilities Customers
It’s no secret that customer expectations are always evolving. So, how can you keep up? How do you build a customer experience (CX) strategy for your utilities & telecom customers that matches their needs?
The key to creating a quality strategy is to make it specific to your customers. Figuring out what your competitors’ customers want is only half the battle. Researching industry trends helps when you’re getting started, but they still won’t be able to address the needs of your specific audience.
At Radius Global Solutions, we specialize in providing personalized service to customers in the utilities and telecommunications industry. Read on to learn more about the importance of creating a customer experience strategy and the steps for getting started.
The Importance of a CX Strategy
A utilities/telecom customer experience strategy encompasses all of the plans your business puts in place to elevate and personalize all customer interactions. According to PwC, 73% of customers point to experience as an important factor in their purchasing decisions, behind price and product quality. This means that customers are willing to pay more for better service.
Just think about your own experiences reaching out to brands. Would you rather wait on hold for 30 minutes, or receive immediate service and pay slightly more? Time is money, and many consumers prefer convenience over price.
Having a customer-centric strategy in the utilities and telecom industry is essential. Customers want to quickly pay their utility bills at the click of a button. They want to see live data that reveals how much energy they’re consuming compared to their neighbors. If there’s a service outage, they don’t want to have to call you to find out.
If you cannot provide the up-to-date information that your customers crave, one of your competitors certainly will. It’s important to be aware of the features your customers expect when interacting with your brand. While it may be impossible to deliver everything they want, it’s valuable to understand your customers’ priorities.
As the image above shows, there’s a lot that goes into a customer experience strategy. But what consumers value the most is friendly, efficient, convenient, knowledgeable service with easy payment options.
At Radius, our customer service agents understand the importance of these qualities. Our contact center services are catered to your customers in the utilities and telecom industry. Every successful CX strategy for telecom and utility customers includes 3 key steps.
#1: Get to Know Your Utilities & Telecom Customers
In order to enhance customer engagement, you have to know who your customers are. You should be able to answer the following questions:
- What are the demographics of your customers? (Age, location, occupation, gender, etc.)
- How do your customers typically look for information? (Phone call? Word-of-mouth recommendations? Research?)
- What do your customers like about the products/services you provide?
- What might they not like about your products/services?
- Are your customers price-conscious? Or are they focused on the quality of the products/services over the price?
- Which communication channels do your customers prefer? (Phone call, live chat, a self-service portal, etc.)
- What challenges does your product/service help your customers solve?
- Develop buyer personas and customer journey maps to represent your audience.
When you have a visual representation of your customers and their challenges, it’s easier to serve their specific needs. Not sure what the answers to the above questions are? The best way to find them out is to ask.
Send your customers a satisfaction survey to gain key insights into their behavior. Although it may be tempting to send a survey with dozens of questions, doing so can deter your customers from completing the full survey. Either limit your survey to about 15 questions or offer an incentive (gift cards, coupons, etc.) if you’d like them to complete a longer survey.
Another option is to ask your customer-facing employees. What are the top complaints they hear? What challenges do your customers have that your product or service solves? Listening to the members of your team who are speaking directly to your customers is vital for making any needed improvements.
#2: Leverage Utilities & Telecom Customer Support Technology
Utilities and telecom customers are looking to you to improve their digital experiences. If your goal is to deliver the best and most cutting-edge products or services, your technology should reflect this. According to Accenture, 98% of utilities industry executives believe continuous advances in technology are becoming more reliable than economic, political, or social trends in informing their organization’s long-term strategy.
As mentioned earlier, self-service options are a must. Consumers want to be able to answer questions on their own – and fast. If you cannot offer a self-service portal or a mobile application, other options are available to provide your customers with a streamlined experience.
Live chat on your website is an excellent option for providing 24/7 customer support. With Radius Interactive Virtual Assistant (RIVA), customers can speak naturally as if they’re chatting with a fellow human being. Learn more about the benefits of RIVA by watching the video below!
If an inquiry is too complex for our AI, RIVA will seamlessly transfer your customer to a live agent for additional support. This AI technology provides a seamless customer experience while efficiently allocating resources within your organization.
#3: Partner with a Proven Customer Experience Outsourcing Provider
Developing an integrated customer experience strategy for your utilities and telecom customers can be time-consuming. It takes planning and requires input across departments to help ensure that all bases are covered. Your sales and marketing teams may have different insights into what makes your customers tick. Are you prepared to collect and analyze this information?
Partnering with a proven customer experience outsourcing provider like Radius Global Solutions will make this process more efficient. We have decades of proven experience improving customer satisfaction for businesses in the utilities and telecom industry.
Not only does our team receive extensive training to accurately and positively represent your brand, but we also can offer various customer service technologies:
- Traditional phone
- SMS
- Live chat (RIVA)
- Video support
- Payment reminders
- Appointment scheduling
By offering multiple channels to deliver service, we can reach your customers in the way they prefer to be contacted. And, your business can enjoy improved customer retention and enhanced internal processes. Spend less time on the phone answering common questions and more time completing your essential tasks by partnering with our team.
Don’t Put Improved Customer Experiences on Hold
Exceed your utility and telecom customers’ expectations by making their interactions with your business more efficient, personalized, and flexible. By delivering excellent customer experiences, you can see improved brand loyalty, increased referrals, and more streamlined processes.
Contact Radius Global Solutions to learn more about our customer experience outsourcing services for your industry.
