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Earlier this winter, prior to the onset of the Coronavirus, as I walked to get my morning coffee, I realized, about 10 minutes into my journey to my favorite coffee spot, that I hadn’t “seen” much. I had spent most of my walk looking at my Instagram DMs and what’s new on my feeds. All along, the warm late winter’s day in Seville, Spain, was beckoning me, but I didn’t notice, so I didn’t answer the call.
I’m guilty. I don’t look up from my gadgets enough. I get distracted and don’t pay attention to some of the experiences around me; I ignore my friends from time to time or spend hours watching online series in the course of a week. The fact is, we can’t avoid our digital devices. We are digital creatures now, and our gadgets are an integral part of our daily lives—particularly now during this pandemic. Most of the time, we do not give it a moment’s thought.
In our service environments, we have heard the call and answered. Customer service is now online. Log into that online chat or set up a case through that app, and someone is available to help. It’s quick, it’s easy, and, well, it is often impersonal. Try as we might, without tone and body language to seal the deal, customer service online leaves us all feeling a bit uninspired.
I have yet to hear anyone say, “I had this amazing service experience when dealing with XYZ company online.”
It never happens, but why shouldn’t it? We work so hard to make sure we manage our first impressions in person. We focus on our smiles, making connections, acknowledging loyalty, and all of those great things, but why does all of that get left behind with online service? Efficiency? Speed is essential, but when it replaces quality, well, it leaves something to be desired.
Let’s face it: If you have a hot date you want to impress, you probably aren’t going to make your way through a fast-food drive-through. It’s quick, it’s easy, and sometimes tasty, but you want to pull out all of the stops. That doesn’t mean you choose a restaurant that’s known to have slow service, but you are going to choose one with great food, impressive presentation, inviting ambiance, and stellar service. After all, you might want a second date!
Our online service doesn’t have to be so tasteless and fast-food-like to be efficient. Providing service touch-points and creating ambiance is efficient. It demonstrates that we are service providers, no matter what and no matter where. Consistency is key!
Add some personality to your online interactions. Ask people how their day is. Thank them for their loyalty. Get their real name and use it, or provide them with some recommendations and information. Don’t be afraid to encourage conversations online. If that is where we are going, then go there!
So, the next time you have online service experience, take it up a notch. Your customers will thank you, and so will your business revenues! As for me, I am going to get off this iPad and lookup. I’d still prefer a real-life smile rather than one through an Instagram filter. Just saying.
Kevin James Saunders is a trainer for Oculus Training, a training and mystery shopping company offering sensitivity, sales, and customer service training programs around the world. For more information, call 888.OCULUS4 or visit www.oculustraining.com. You also can connect with Oculus on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @oculustraining or reach out via e-mail at peoplecare@oculustraining.com.