Improving your customer experience (CX) has always been a powerful strategy for success in business. But as competition rises and industries become increasingly saturated, nailing your CX strategy is no longer a choice — it’s a necessity to stand out from the crowd.
One effective way to achieve this is by investing in CX consulting services. These professionals can help you identify areas for improvement in your customer support strategy, streamline your processes, and implement solutions that enhance customer experience. But how do you know when to bring in a CX consultant? Here are five signs that your business may benefit from their expertise.
1. You Have a Large Number of Customer Complaints
No surprise here — if you have an excessive amount of customer complaints, chances are your CX strategy can use some work. Whether through social media, online reviews, or direct messages, poor feedback is a strong sign it’s time to bring in an expert to help you make improvements. There may even be more unhappy customers than you think — in fact, studies have shown that for every customer who complains, 26 others remain silent but still feel dissatisfied.
A CX consultant can help you identify the root cause of these issues and provide actionable solutions to improve customer satisfaction. For example, where there are complaints about long wait times, a consultant may help you implement a customer self-service portal or improve your call center processes. This will address the current complaints and prevent future ones, leading to pleased customers, more positive reviews, and increased long-term retention rates. Note that resolving customer complaints also directly impacts your company’s reputation and brand image.
2. Your Customer Service Team Is Overwhelmed
When your customer service team is constantly overwhelmed with calls, emails, or inquiries, it can be a sign that something needs to change. Your processes may be inefficient, your technology may be outdated, or there simply may not be enough team members to handle the volume of customer support requests.
A CX consultant can thoroughly analyze your current strategy and technology to identify areas for improvement. They can also help implement new tools and strategies, such as chatbots or customer service automation, to alleviate the pressure on your team. With a more efficient and streamlined customer service system, your team can focus on providing better quality service instead of constantly juggling requests and falling behind on response times.
3. Your Customer Journey Is Inconsistent
In the age of omnichannel customer service, customers expect a consistent experience across all touchpoints with your brand. Whether they interact with you through social media, email, phone calls, or in person, their journey should be seamless and personalized.
Unfortunately, many businesses struggle to provide consistency in their CX because different departments may use varying systems or processes. This can cause frustration and confusion for customers, leading to a negative perception of your brand and a poor overall customer experience.
A CX consultant can help you map your customer journey and identify gaps or inconsistencies.
They can then recommend software solutions, such as a customer relationship management (CRM) system, which will centralize all customer data and provide a unified view of your customer experience. This will improve consistency and enable your team to personalize customer interactions more effectively.
4. You’re Not Seeing Results From Your CX Efforts
How do you know if your CX strategies are working? Many businesses invest in customer service training, technology, and other initiatives, but still don’t see any tangible results. This could be due to a lack of proper measurement and analysis.
A CX consultant can help you set measurable goals for your CX efforts and implement tools to track progress. They can also provide insights on which areas need more attention and support to achieve your desired results. With a data-driven approach, you can decide where to invest your resources for the best return on investment. A CX consultant can also help you continuously monitor and improve your CX strategies, ensuring long-term success.
5. You Want To Stay Ahead of the Competition
According to Salesforce, 80% of customers say a company’s customer experience is as important as its products or services. This means that CX is now a key differentiator for businesses.
If your competitors are investing in CX consulting and you’re not, you risk falling behind and losing market share. By bringing in a CX consultant, you can stay ahead of the game and continuously improve your customer experience to meet evolving expectations.
Level up Your CX in 2024 With Aktie Now
Ready to level up your CX going into 2024? At Aktie Now, we offer expert CX consulting for your service team that will give you the competitive edge to stand out in the new year. Contact us to learn more!
