Every year, we have to incorporate new terminology into our customer service lexicon.
Strange terms. Like “mobile first.” “Omni-channel.” And “authentic response.”
How will these new concepts alter your customer service mindset – and your customer experience (CX) strategy – in 2016?
Let’s take a look at three CX trends:
Customer Experience Trend 1: Mobile first moves to the forefront.
First, let’s define “mobile first.” In simplest terms, mobile first means designing an online experience (such as searching for jobs, or learning more about your staffing services) for mobile device users before designing it for desktop web browsing (or any other devices).
Why the switch? Like it or not, millennials are poised to overtake Baby Boomers as the largest demographic in the U.S., and they’ve been digitally wired since childhood. Mobile devices have become a staple in people’s lives, changing the way they search for staffing and jobs.
So if your website or job board doesn’t display well – or isn’t easy to use – on mobile devices, you need to rethink your mobile customer experience. If you need help redefining your strategy or just improving your technology, our team of digital marketing and web development experts is here to help!
Customer Experience Trend 2: Omni-channel customers.
Just a few decades ago, businesses had three ways of communicating with customers: in person, in writing, and over the phone. Life (and customer service) was so much simpler then! Times have changed, and now clients and candidates use everything from email to voice mail and social media to communicate. The result? It’s become more challenging than ever to monitor and serve them.
As the customer experience becomes more fragmented, your staffing firm must find new ways to reintegrate it – and deliver seamless, consistent service across platforms. Read this post on “un-shattering the customer experience” to find out how.
Customer Experience Trend 3: Customers demand authentic response.
Today’s customers are more savvy. More wary of traditional sales pitches. And, thanks to technology, they’re more virtual – and separated – from you. How can you build relationships and increase loyalty in these tough conditions?
Be authentic in the way you communicate with them (i.e., skip the canned responses and corporate-speak). Strive for honest, transparent communication – especially when you make a mistake. And hire people with high emotional intelligence. Having a natural ability to understand and appropriately respond to customers’ emotional needs creates better experiences for all parties involved.
What do you see on the customer service horizon for staffing and recruiting firms in 2016? I’d love to know – please leave your comments below!