When it comes to how happy a consumer is with the businesses they work with, they really do put their money where their mouth is. So much so that 78% of consumers have ditched a transaction because of a single negative interaction. 

Now do you see why it’s so important to eliminate negative customer Interactions from your business dealings?

Poor customer service could be a result of a customer feeling that a business failed to meet their expectations in service quality, overall customer experience and/or response time. The fact that your customers could back out of a transaction with your business due to response time can sound daunting, considering that roughly 90% of consumers agree that they expect a business to respond almost immediately. 

Why is speedy response time so important?

• Your customers feel valued and that your business is addressing their needs in a timely manner.
• Your customers don’t move on to a competitor while they are waiting for a response. 
• Consumers have come to demand a fast response time from businesses. The consumers have spoken: 70% believe that a quick response is the most important customer service factor. 

How can your business offer immediate responses to meet the demands of its customers?

• Provide an omni-channel communication experience for your customers. Allow them to reach you on the platform that is most convenient for them. Consumers don’t want to call you. Today’s consumers are looking for businesses that will chat with them and take the conversation online rather than over the phone. 
• Embrace the technology available. There is absolutely no reason for a business owner to be logging in and out of various messaging platforms all day, and spending their time sifting through messages. That’s one way to lose business through lost messages that never receive a response! Instead, embrace the technology available and make your business reachable to its customers after-hours and store your omni-channel messages in one central location.

Call it what you want, but at the end of the day, consumers are impatient. There is no more room for businesses that don’t respond immediately and offer interactions through multiple messaging apps. It’s also important, when choosing which messaging apps to use, that you consider cyber safety and ensure that your customers’ information is protected.

Being available when and where your customers need you, and making it easy for yourself to respond in a timely manner makes the difference between strong customer service and a ditched transaction due to a negative interaction. 

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!