Efficiency or Empathy—Which should be top priority in remote troubleshooting?
A decade ago, customer lifetime value (CLV) was the most valuable metric to measure customer support. But that changed to CSAT and FCR, which then quickly changed to NPS. It’s almost as if customers have a mind of their own! However, while companies have been hopping between bandwagons trying to find the right KPI, the pandemic has created an altogether new monster to wrangle. Remote troubleshooting takes the industry back to the core of customer support. But this begs the question, what takes priority—efficiency or empathy?
The Impossible Choice
Most organizations try to approach customer queries from an efficiency standpoint. They focus on how quickly the issue is resolved. But in a remote setting, managing queries with the right questions and attitude makes a world of difference.
Efficiency alone in a support system is like a goal without a plan and does not make the customer feel heard. On the other hand, choosing empathy may slow down the process of resolving issues. This can paint a negative picture of the organization in the minds of the customer.
Hence, achieving dynamic equilibrium between efficiency and empathy is essential to exceeding customer expectations.
The Efficient Resolution
A customer support ecosystem needs to be process-driven, yet flexible enough to accommodate customer needs and expectations. It is characterized by the following characteristics:
Prompt Technical Assistance: Issue resolution set-up with highly skilled technical professionals, remote troubleshooting, 24/7 availability, software service, etc.
Skilled Professionals: Technically sound personnel with a great emotional quotient make 24-hour support and First Call Resolution (FCR) possible. Their area of expertise helps avoid further escalation and reduces TAT.
Support in Native Languages: Native-speaking professionals have an edge because they understand the language, background, and culture of the customers better which enables them to be empathetic.
The Empathetic Dimension
Customers today are gravitating towards brands that offer support that is sympathetic to their situation. According to Forbes, customer-facing employees at such times need to think like “part-time therapists.” Each call needs to be dealt with empathy and the interactions should never be purely transactional.
Support personnel should be able to put themselves in the customer’s shoes. Not only does this build a positive image for the brand, it also directly impacts key KPIs like CSAT scores and NPS.
A leading online pharmacy experienced this firsthand. When they faced a dip in their customer experience scores, Allsec’s experienced team jumped in to handle complex situations. Skilled native speakers and trained support staff were deployed at appropriate checkpoints to reduce AHT. The result was an 84% reduction in AHT with a constant CSAT score of 89%.
The deciding factor of good customer relationships is efficient and empathetic tech support. It guarantees effective issue resolution and enhances the customer experience. In another case, one of Allsec’s clients, a FOREX services leader, reduced operational downtime with one such technical support system. Reach out to us to avail your own robust technical support systems.
