Reactive Customer Service: Becoming more Proactive
25 Apr 2024
7.5 min read
Reactive customer service is like the default setting for most businesses. We wait for customers to come to us with issues, then we react. It’s a cycle that’s hard to break, but a few simple changes can help boost customer loyalty and create those “wow” moments that amaze customers.
Shifting from reactive to proactive customer service is a key part of adopting a customer centric approach, where businesses use technology and data analytics to anticipate and meet customer needs before issues arise.
How can you flip the script and start being proactive instead of reactive? It’s not just a pipe dream - it’s a reality that’s within your reach. Here’s how you can make it happen.
What Is Reactive Customer Service?
Reactive customer service is when your support team waits for customers to come to them with issues. Instead of being proactive and trying to prevent problems before they happen, you’re reacting to complaints as they arise. Picture this: a frustrated customer sends an email to your support address, makes a customer contact through a phone call or chat, or calls your service line. They explain their problem and the rep tells them “we’ll look into it” or “someone will get back to you in 2-3 business days.”
This approach often leads to a high volume of incoming support tickets, which can quickly overwhelm support teams and slow down response times.
That’s textbook, old-school reactive service. The customer had to reach out first and now they’re stuck waiting for a resolution. Another classic reactive move? Only addressing issues that customers complain about publicly on social media or review sites. You’re not being proactive, you’re scrambling to do damage control.
In other industries, that might just about be acceptable, but with ecommerce your brand can live or die on these kinds of interaction.
The Pitfalls of a Purely Reactive Customer Support Approach
When you’re using a purely reactive customer service approach, you’re always playing catch-up. Issues and customer complaints are piling up faster than you can address them. Poor customer experience is inevitable when your support strategy relies on people reaching out to you first. Plus, waiting for customers to contact you about problems leads to major delays in resolutions. A purely reactive approach can damage your reputation and cost you loyal customers.
Proactive vs Reactive Customer Service
So what’s the difference between proactive and reactive customer service? It all comes down to who makes the first move. With a proactive approach, companies initiate contact with the customer. You’re reaching out to them before they even realize there’s an issue. You’re anticipating issues and addressing customer needs before the customer ever has to deal with the frustration.
If a customer comes to you with an issue which you solve, it’s difficult to create a moment of amazement that might breed a customer that stays for life, tells their friends and becomes so much more valuable. Solving their issue is the minimum that they would expect. You can impress them with how quick and easy the solution was, or by going above and beyond, but those opportunities don’t always arise. Proactive service is about anticipating customer needs and addressing customer concerns before they escalate, which can prevent issues and enhance satisfaction.
With a proactive customer service approach, you are going out of your way to show that you care. This involves implementing proactive strategies and proactive measures to exceed customer expectations. You’re providing them with a solution before they realise there’s a problem. Who doesn’t love that? When customers feel valued through proactive service, it leads to stronger loyalty and trust.
Strategies for Implementing Proactive Customer Service
Ready to get proactive? Here are some strategies to get you started:
Analyze customer data to spot common pain points and complaints. Address the root causes.
Set up automated internal alerts for potential issues like shipping delays or inventory shortages. Keep customers in the loop.
Reach out with personalized recommendations, tutorials, or tips to help customers get more value.
Send proactive chat messages or emails when you notice customers struggling with something on your site.
Gather customer feedback regularly as part of your support processes to drive continuous improvement and optimize the experience over time.
Use AI and analytics to anticipate customer inquiries and forecast customer demand, ensuring you have adequate staffing and resources during peak periods.
Provide self service options, such as FAQs and knowledge bases, to empower and encourage customers to find solutions independently, reducing the workload on your support team.
Proactively notify customers about important updates, such as service disruptions or special offers, to enhance satisfaction and loyalty.
The key is to offer proactive customer service and provide proactive customer service through proactive customer support, optimized support processes, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Shifting to Proactive Customer Service
I know this might seem like a big shift, especially if you’re used to operating in reactive mode. But trust us, it’s so worth it. Shifting to a proactive customer service culture requires a clear customer service strategy that focuses on proactive customer care. One thing that makes the shift easier? Investing in the right tools. AI-powered chatbots and automated alerts can help you get ahead of common issues. Advanced analytics gives you insight into the customer journey and helps you identify potential pain points so you can address them before they escalate. By doing this, you gain a competitive advantage, drive business success, and set the stage for continuous improvement.
Using AI for Proactive Customer Service
One way that we help customers to be proactive is with delayed or lost orders. AI-powered systems can provide immediate assistance by proactively scanning for updates and notifying customers of potential service disruptions. Through deep integrations with shipping platforms and carriers, our system can do a daily scan for an update on tracking information. If there is an issue, then an alert can be triggered to inform customers.
Self service resources, such as automated tracking and comprehensive FAQs, empower customers to resolve issues independently. This approach not only reduces support tickets but also empowers customers to find solutions on their own.
It can even be configured that even if there is no obvious problem, but it just feels like something has gone wrong, an alert is still triggered. What we mean is that if a package has been stuck on one status for a certain number of days (say, 5), then the customer gets an alert. You can then create an internal alert to chase up, or do that automatically.
A software company can use AI to gain valuable insights from customer data, allowing them to improve proactive support and anticipate user needs.
When a package is definitely lost, you can go a step further and ask customers if they want a replacement or a refund. Whichever they choose can then be actioned by the AI to ensure the customer gets the outcome they want.
This is something that Porto’s, our customer does. Porto’s sells frozen baked goods that can spoil if they’re not delivered in time. Even a minor delay in shipping can ruin a whole order, so it’s essential that the brand is on top of shipping. Given sometimes the goods are for an occasion, replacements are not appropriate.
Analysing Tickets for Insights
Another form of proactive customer service is to ensure that customers have the right aftercare guides. Tracking customer interactions and analyzing customer sentiment, including negative feedback, helps identify trends and recurring issues. If you see that customers repeatedly contact your customer service team about one particular issue then you can start to anticipate it for future orders.
For instance if you make furniture and one particular type of wood needs treating before it gets discoloured, you can give your customers a care guide or ensure they can buy a kit to solve the problem. Or if your clothes are not meant to be machine washed, you can send your customers a reminder of that soon after their order has been delivered.
The key is to see what issues come up time and again. Monitoring customer satisfaction scores and customer behavior allows support teams to improve customer satisfaction and build customer loyalty. By getting ahead of these issues, you can hope to prevent a number of them, contributing to customer success and encouraging repeat business. And through automation, this need not be more work for your customer service team. You can set the triggers and let it run.
Enhancing Customer Loyalty and Retention
93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases with companies that provide excellent customer service. That’s a huge opportunity to boost customer loyalty and retention. Customer support teams and customer service teams play a crucial role in addressing customer needs and resolving customer issues proactively, ensuring that concerns are managed before they escalate. By proactively addressing issues and quickly resolving problems, you show customers that you value their business and care about their success. This builds trust and keeps them coming back for more.
78% of consumers will stay loyal to a business after a mistake if the service is excellent. So even when things go wrong, great customer service can turn a negative experience into a positive one. The benefits of proactive customer service include increased customer satisfaction, attracting new customers, and building a stronger brand reputation. Proactive customer service can also help reduce support costs and improve efficiency.
By anticipating and preventing issues, you can decrease the volume of support tickets and calls. This frees up your team to focus on more complex issues and proactive initiatives. Plus, it saves your business time and money in the long run. Of course, you’ll still need to invest in reactive customer support for unexpected problems. But by striking the right balance, you can optimize your support operations and deliver better service at a lower cost.
Reactive customer service is a trap that’s easy to fall into, but it’s not doing your business any favours. Get proactive in engaging with folks who buy from you – this approach is a magnet for building stronger relationships, making things run smoother around here, and giving your name that sparkle others will notice.
It’s not about being perfect - it’s about being proactive. You can’t anticipate every problem, but even anticipating some of them will make you and your team seem like superheroes. Customers get used to not hearing from brands unless they’re selling something.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to break free from the reactive cycle and embrace a new way of doing things. Your customers will thank you, and your bottom line will too. The future of customer service is proactive - and it starts with you.
