The internet, in the past two decades, has transformed many aspects of life over the years, and some would even say practically all aspects. One area that has been forever changed is customer service as companies are now able to utilize the internet to provide a much higher level of customer service, which will help them to improve their reputation and keep customers happy. So, how exactly has the internet transformed customer service over the years? Read on to find out.
Ecommerce in the Construction Industry
One of the most notable ways that the internet has transformed customer service is the rise of e-commerce or otherwise also known as online shopping, especially in industries like construction. Instead of builders having to drive back and forth to various different vendors, they can now simply order all of the heavy building materials like treated timber as well as tools and equipment that they need for a project online and get them delivered straight to the work site. This allows builders to source the best products, find the best prices and save a huge amount of time and energy they would otherwise have spent travelling back and forth, carrying heavy goods.
The Significance of Emails
Of course, emails have been a real game changer in the business world since the late 90s. Emails can make it a lot easier for customers and businesses to maintain communication and this allows businesses to provide a high level of customer service. Additionally, people are more reluctant to talk on the phone these days, so email has emerged as the preferred method of contact for many. While email can be a great way for a business to provide customer service, they do need to make sure that they have fast response times as customers will not want to wait around for hours or even days for a response.
The Impact of Online Reviews
Another interesting way that the internet has impacted customer service has been the rise of online reviews. Nowadays, customers will share their experiences of a business online and this can have an enormous impact on the success of the company. If there are multiple negative reviews, a business will find it hard to attract new customers and could develop a negative reputation that is hard to shake off. This is why businesses need to pay close attention to online reviews and make any positive reviews that they have highly visible – this can act as social proof and helps the business to attract new customers.
These are a few of the main ways that the internet has changed customer service forever. The internet has changed a lot of life and business over the years, but few areas have been changed as much by customer service and it is now hard to remember a time when customer service wasn’t delivered online. It is also interesting to see what the future holds, especially when you consider the potential of chatbots and AI.