Customer Support vs Customer Service
Both matter.
Keeping a focus on how the two differ, and then ensuring both are implemented in your business will enhance the relationships you have with clients, as well as improving your product or service offering.
Customer Support
Your client has a question about using your product. Or perhaps something isn’t working they way it should.
Customer support is when your client requires assistance and contacts you.
You will have to walk them through a process, explain a part of your product or perhaps de-bug a feature.
Customer Service
Once way for you to stand out from the competition is the attention you give your client. How much do you know about their application of your product? How often do you speak?
Scheduling regular reviews with your client to ensure they are aware of all features and happy with the outcome is part of customer service. The more you know about what they are doing, the better you will be able to serve them and also adapt your product to their needs.
It also raises the possibility to go above and beyond, providing tips and assistance in areas beyond the direct application of your product.
Different, But Equally Important
You want to diminish the need for your client to seek you out urgently. Ensure instructions are clear, the product is easy to use and features are reliable. Find out what the most common questions and issues are, and then fix your product to eliminate those issues.
On the other hand, you want to maximize all the touch points you have, especially when they are premised on a positive experience. Always learn something new about your client. Use that information to improve your product or service.
Customer Support is reactive. Track it, and minimize it.
Customer Service is proactive. Track it, and maximize it.
To Do
- If you do not have a distinction between these two, start by tracking touch points with clients for 1 month
- At the end of the month create two lists: Support touch points and Service touch points as explained above
- Start to review how you can minimize instances on the Support list, and improve opportunities on the Service list