{"id":1670,"date":"2023-03-17T19:51:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T19:51:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=1670"},"modified":"2023-06-15T03:38:49","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T03:38:49","slug":"invest-in-customer-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ap\/blog\/invest-in-customer-support\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Service Investments To Help You Thrive In an Uncertain Economy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trying to figure out how to guide your business through an uncertain economy? Start by investing in customer support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Macroeconomic conditions like inflation, supply chain challenges, labour shortages, and rapid changes across industries have all disrupted business as we know it. How can you keep up as the global landscape constantly changes? The answer is to invest in customer support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When your team has an efficient platform \u2014 not just a mashup of different tools acquired over the years \u2014 they can focus on delivering empathetic, effective customer service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By going with one comprehensive and connected platform, you can eliminate spending on mix-and-match products. The experience can be streamlined for both your employees and customers. When it comes to investing in customer service, you have to provide your team with the right tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the CMO of Service Cloud, I was excited to sit down with Amy Weaver, Salesforce\u2019s president and CFO, at Dreamforce 2022 for the CFO Talk: The Value Customer Service Brings to Your Business,<\/a> where she gave sound advice to leaders navigating their teams during these uncertain times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right from the start, Weaver said, \u201cThere is this idea that CFOs are looking to cut costs and that\u2019s not always true. I am really looking for just three things right now: growth, cost-savings, and efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Dreamforce, I\u2019ve had time to reflect upon my discussion with her. Here are three ways that investing in the right tools and the right actions can help you weather economic uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Focus on efficiency in your contact centre <\/span> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you invest in customer support, one of the first things to consider \u2014 especially during an unpredictable economy \u2014 is how to create efficiency. The challenge is to become more efficient while continuing to deliver seamless and connected experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When everyone is talking about saving on costs, you can drive efficiency and productivity with things like automation and AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEfficiency has never been more important,\u201d Weaver said. \u201cLiterally, every conversation I\u2019ve had with a CFO in the last 6 months has been about driving efficiencies, especially when you\u2019re in uncertain times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies are facing two situations: they\u2019re either trying to moderate headcount or they\u2019re trying to hire in an unpredictable job market. Both lead to the need for maximum efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To work efficiently service professionals need visibility into the entire customer journey \u2014 all in one place. With this clarity, you can automate repetitive tasks and remove inefficient workflows. You can also create the right workflows once, and deploy them across every need your agents and others across your organisation have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, support engineers who don\u2019t have the right technology to do their job aren\u2019t productive or efficient in their roles. As a leader, if you\u2019re leaving contact centre agents to hunt for information like order numbers and return policies, this can lead to a poor employee experience. These problems are solved by deploying technology that has all their tasks, communication, and collaboration in one place. Automation<\/a> helped us save 75,000 employee hours on repetitive tasks last year, which enabled our teams to focus on what matters most – our customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s never been more relevant to enable digital transformation for service teams and the support experience. With the right platform, you can increase the productivity of contact centre agents, managers, support engineers, and frontline workers by giving them all the information they need when they need it, to deliver a personalised customer experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And we all know that when your technology investments make your customer service team\u2019s lives easier, your customers\u2019 lives are easier too. This is the magic of efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  <\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Empathy and kindness are wise economical investments, too <\/span> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being empathetic can help you retain your employees, fostering an attitude that leads to repeat customers through heartfelt customer service. You can invest in customer support by leading with empathy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During these times, it\u2019s more important than ever to include compassion in your management toolkit. Empathy for your team bridges the gap in trust and transparency between service teams and the customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact centre agents are on the front lines all day with customers, both the good and the bad. So, as a leader, providing ongoing training and support to your agents improves and builds a comfortable and trusted working environment, and creates an open culture of communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoing back to service and looking at the uncertainty we have right now in the economy,\u201d Weaver said, \u201cwe have to shift to look at how we are serving our customers, our employees, and how we are leading as a company. We have to lead with kindness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her view is that this allows teams to further their careers for success because they know that their managers truly want to see them succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Salesforce\u2019s Fifth Edition State of Service<\/a> report, we talked to more than 8,000 decision-makers, contact centre agents, and customer service professionals. We found that connection and empathy are still at the heart of great service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To manage what comes next, you need to invest in customer support by focusing on the employee experience. This means not only equipping them with comprehensive technology, but also focusing on your team\u2019s well-being and balance, and the right tools needed to do the job efficiently. It\u2019s a package deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Invest in customer support with the proper tech <\/span> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When times change, we often re-evaluate our technology, finding ways to cut costs. But what we\u2019ve found is that investing in technology that will carry you through uncertain times can help you future-proof your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing that Amy said really stood out to me. By taking the time to understand each team member\u2019s skill set, the support channels, and the tools they use to perform their duties, you can truly understand what would make their life easier. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201c<\/span>When it comes to investing in customer service, you have<\/i> to provide your team with the right tools.\u201d<\/p>\nAmy Weaver<\/cite><\/blockquote>\nSalesforce President and CFO<\/span>\n