Customer Support and the Engaged Enterprise: Customer service is re-emerging as the core business strategy

The IT world is undergoing a massive transformation where the traditional view of ERP at the core of the enterprise, with CRM applications wrapped around it, is replaced with CRM at the center of the enterprise. This is a revolution in thinking, with the customer finally placed in the center of planning and execution, and with CRM systems serving as the core of the IT thought process.

Customer service is re-emerging as the core business strategy to create a winning customer experience. Great service needs to be consistent across all mobile devices, as well as social and digital media channels. It also needs to be personalized and consistent with marketing efforts.

Customer service agents, advisors and the corporate websites/mobile sites often fail because they are unprepared when they engage customers. Many small or midsize businesses (SMBs) and enterprises have still not invested in multichannel customer service strategies and, instead, opt for a conglomeration of point solutions, enabling those vendors to thrive. The Web self-service and peer-to-peer community software markets operate on a parallel plane for companies looking at nonagent-based support available to customers through a company's website. The wide use of mobile Internet and the rich customer experiences powered by multichannel engagement in the consumer space will prompt customers to seek a mobile customer service application as their first option for support.

Recommendations

Collect the metrics and key performance indicators about the strengths and weaknesses in cross-channel support of the customer to make the case to add analytics tools to customer service.

1. Collect the metrics and key performance indicators about the strengths and weaknesses in cross-channel support of the customer to make the case to add analytics tools to customer service.
2. Focus on developing the social customer support skills of social media managers and customer service agents, rather than emphasizing the technologies at this point in the market's maturity.
3. Invest in Web self-service applications that support integration or are integrated with peer-to-peer community software applications and allow for a shared formal and social knowledge base to increase the likelihood of customers finding answers online to their questions.
4. Develop a mobile customer service strategy as part of your overall customer engagement strategy, as well as a clear picture of the mobile channels and the engagement method, because more customers will only interact with your organization via a mobile device.

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