Research released earlier this year by Sabio and the Customer Contact Association that showed that anywhere between 25% and 40% of the calls made to UK contact centers are unnecessary or avoidable.
The research highlighted that the most common causes of calls to businesses were to do with:
- Customers chasing information about deliveries, how to apply for a particular business service, or being unsure as to what is due to happen next in the purchase cycle, and when.
- Customers calling to clarify complicated pricing and other terms and conditions issues.
- Customers feeling they had to repeat their call as the call center failed to take action, or the appropriate action.
Now, not all of the causes are relevant to smaller business but on the back of seeing that research I wrote: How to Take Your Customer Service to the Next Level With Content Marketing, on my own blog, to highlight several leading companies in the US and UK that were generating marketing content to alleviate some of these customer service issues. I went on to offer some questions to help businesses get started with this type of approach.
However, over the last few months when I have told people about this type of approach, I have often been faced with blank faces and signs that business owners were struggling to understand where and how to get started.
In response to that, here’s what I have suggested to them, as an approach, to help them generate ideas about the right sort of marketing content that they could be producing that will also help them deliver better customer service.
First, list out all of your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that your customers ask you, your sales team, your delivery drivers, your receptionists….everyone. Then, write/record/film a response to each of these questions. You can then use each of these as a blog post on your website and also include it in your customer knowledge base/help section.
Secondly, list out all of the Should Ask Questions (SAQs). These are the questions that you know that your customers should ask to help them get the best deal, benefit or use out of your product or service. The rationale behind this is that you are showing them that you are on their side and have their interests at heart. Once done, as above, write/record/film a response to each of these questions. You can then use each of these as a blog post on your website and also include it in your customer knowledge base/help section.
Finally, list out all of your Kick ‘Ass-k’ Questions (KAQs). These are the questions that only an ‘insider’ in your industry or a very-advanced user/customer would ask. When you answer them it will allow you to share and demonstrate your expertise in your field and your business and showcase the extent of the knowledge you have in your team. Again, once done, write/record/film a response to each of these questions, publish them as a blog post and add them to your customer knowledge base/help section on your website.
I trust that you find this approach helpful and will help you get started generating marketing content that will help your business stand out but also help you deliver better customer service to your customers.
Let me know how you get on.
