Five reasons why video support is the future of customer service
COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of video tools for customer service. Research found that 76% of European consumers plan to use video to contact businesses just as, if not more, often after the pandemic is over.1 There is a wide range of reasons why video for customer support is becoming an essential service. This article will dive into what we see as the top five reasons why video support is the future of customer service.
1. More people are moving to WFH and need remote support
Compared to only 6% before the pandemic, 56% of directly employed service agents continued to work from home (WFH) after many businesses transitioned back to offices.2 This is good news for staff who prefer working from home, but what about when they need IT support? Perhaps their computer crashes and won’t turn on, but IT can’t understand their problem over the phone or email. Or, their internet becomes unstable and their internet service provider cannot “have a look” that day. Staff could lose a whole day of work over a problem that could have been resolved in minutes.
With video support tools, IT support staff can get a visual of problems that are tough to communicate verbally and employees can get the help they need in a timely and efficient manner as if they were in the office. Business leaders who recognize the advantages of WFH are investing in a range of technologies and video support software is sure to be high on the list.
2. Video recording makes onboarding agents less costly and avoids liability issues
Training customer support personnel is time-consuming and costly. New support agents need an estimated 8-12 months to become proficient in call center processes.3 That means besides accumulating payroll, there are costs in terms of time spent training, call center effectiveness, and overall morale.
The advantage of video support is that it allows agents to record and save customer sessions. It provides a practical reference for agents-in-training to see the kinds of problems they might face and reduces the need for extensive training programs.
What’s more, a video record can be tied to support tickets as a record that the agents acted according to protocol, help maintain legal compliance for recordkeeping, and avoid potential liability issues when customer disputes arise.
3. Customers already use mobile video to resolve problems
Mobile phones are an essential customer engagement tool for all stages of the customer experience. Customers routinely use their mobile phones to email, chat, or call the support department of businesses to seek help. With built-in cameras and always-on internet access, mobile phones make it easy for customers to engage with businesses and report issues by sending messages, photos, and videos to explain their problems.
Businesses need to adapt to changing customer behaviors and recognize that providing support through mobile phones is no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have. As customers leverage more media-based tools, businesses need to adopt solutions that can support those requirements.
4. Video support can achieve better clarity than verbal or written
Visual cues are crucial for effective communication. Think back to any frustrating customer service experiences you’ve had over the phone. Would it have been easier if you could have shown the person the problem instead of describing it? And what if the support agent could also visually show you how to fix the problem?
Video support software takes the customer experience to a new dimension by providing real-time visibility into problems. A verbal miscue that could sabotage a phone service call can be avoided if the agent can actually see the issue and visually guide the customer on a fix.
5. Customers no longer have the patience for long service calls
Don’t expect customers to have patience for long service calls anymore. While connection speeds have improved, the resolution time for customer service sessions has room for improvement. According to a survey conducted by Acquire.io, 79% of customers choose live video chat because it offers the fastest response to their questions over other channels.4
Video allows you to share more information faster by avoiding the need for long written or verbal descriptions. Speed and efficiency will always be among the top factors deciding a customer’s satisfaction with a service call, and video support software is one of the more effective ways to deliver quick resolutions.
Conclusion
The pandemic has changed the world in many ways and for many people. Work from home is here to stay and customer expectations for quick responses continue to increase. Video is fast becoming a must-have component of the customer service toolset for businesses that wish to remain competitive. Not only is using video for customer support a better experience for customers, but also it offers businesses an edge in providing faster and more efficient service to their customers.
Click here to learn how Viewabo’s video support tools can help you to see what your customer sees.
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