Benefits of 24/7 Customer Service: Why You Should Offer It

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Many companies are offering more flexible customer service, 24 hours a day. You can too – but first, learn what makes it so important.

Benefits of 24/7 Customer Service: Why You Should Offer It

All businesses have one thing in common, regardless of industry, location or company size. That unifying factor is customer service – whether you provide private healthcare, distribute raspberry jam or sell life insurance, your relationship with your consumers is critical. After all, if you want to meet your bottom line and enjoy a good reputation, you will need returning customers who have positive things to say about your company. That only happens when their expectations are met – and that requires excellent customer service and communication.

In the old days, customer service was generally a “business-hours only” affair, with companies offering support mainly during weekdays. Sure, this was simple-seeming, but it created all sorts of problems. For businesses, it meant a backlog of unanswered queries every morning. For customers, it meant unresolved issues, sometimes urgent ones. It didn’t – and still doesn’t – work for anyone involved. Today, things are changing.

As we come into the latter end of 2022, it’s clear that when we invest in a product or service, we don’t want to wait until Monday morning if issues or questions arise – and thanks to modern technology, we don’t need to. Today, better communication and customer experiences are the norm. Much of this is due to the emergence of 24/7 customer support services. Once a novelty for only specific industries, 24/7 customer service is now the standard for first-class client communication and support.

What Types of Businesses Tend to Offer 24/7 Customer Service?

We can’t think of a single industry that wouldn’t benefit from offering 24/7 customer service. That being said, there are some types of businesses that need round-the-clock availability more than others. These industries include:

Healthcare

If you work in healthcare, you know that your patients’ needs don’t end when businesses shut. When medical emergencies or important queries arise at night or on weekends, it’s crucial that someone is there to support your patients. In these cases, 24/7 availability and support isn’t just handy, it is a lifeline.

Emergency Services

When a natural disaster or other crisis strikes, waiting isn’t an option. This is why 24/7 emergency services are absolutely essential to society. In the event of an emergency, these services will spring into action immediately, regardless of time, day or location.

Finance

In the finance industry, trust between business and client is paramount. When you handle someone else’s money, they expect full transparency, clear communication and availability in the case of any incidents. The best way to offer this is through a 24/7 customer service center – and, indeed, most financial services provide this to their clients.

Education

Summer vacation? That’s only for students! The education sector requires near-constant communication and coverage, especially if you have students living on your campus. This is why 24/7 call center services have become the norm for schools and universities across America.

Why Offer 24/7 Customer Service?

By offering 24/7 customer service to your clients, your business can see massive positive change. Here are a few reasons why:

Happier Customers

When your customers call your service center, they are looking for help with a particular problem – immediately. When that need is met through dedicated and helpful after-hours support, they will be satisfied with their experience and trust your company. That makes them more likely to stick with your brand.

More Productive Staff

Many businesses try to cut corners by assigning customer service roles to their pre-existing staff. This is a problem for several reasons, one of the biggest being an overstretched staff. Remember, your team was hired for their specific training and skills, not to provide customer service.

By outsourcing a 24/7 customer service call center, you can remove the extra responsibilities from your staff and allow them to put their focus and talent into their hired duties. Meanwhile, your call center will become an extension of your business and handle the entire customer support side of things, like inbound and outbound calls, lead capture, appointment setting and all other communication needs.

Improved Reputation

Can you remember your worst customer service experience? Whether you couldn’t connect after hours, waited for ages or never saw a resolution to your issue, one thing is clear: you remember how awful it was. When these situations arise, many consumers take care to spread the word so their friends and family don’t have the same experience. That leads to bad press, whether it’s in the form of online reviews or word-of-mouth reputation.

With a 24/7 customer service center, your company won’t need to worry. It’s hard to fall victim to bad reviews when you’re offering your customers constant contact ability, knowledgeable service and the most swift, efficient experience possible.

How to Successfully Incorporate After-Hours Coverage

Stop worrying about how to keep your office staffed and open 24 hours a day! While some companies choose to create their own in-house call center, that isn’t what we recommend.

We have an insider tip that’ll make incorporating a 24/7 customer support center much easier than you imagine. Welcome to the world of BPO! BPO, or business process outsourcing, is the easiest and most surefire way to successfully incorporate an after-hours call center into your brand. BPO call centers can and will take care of all of your communication and support needs, giving your team more time and flexibility. With this, your customers can see their needs met 24 hours a day, while your team has the flexibility and space to function at the highest level. Win-win.