Small business owners always have a lot happening at once. They stay on top of financial metrics, oversee staff, manage schedules, plan projects, and solve problems as they materialize.
Small business owners are also tasked with getting a lot done with relatively little capital. Finding cost-effective ways to achieve business goals is one of the key tenets of running a successful small business.
Enter customer support. The more customers you have, the more customer service and support you need to provide. The problem – for many small business owners – is that customer support traditionally means hiring more workers.
It’s an expensive proposition. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The truth is there are several affordable customer support options available. With this in mind, let’s take a look at six cost-effective customer support solutions for small businesses:
Informative business website
Cost-effective customer support starts with having an informative business website. In addition to serving as a marketing tool, your business website should also include an organized collection of useful information.
One of the most common ways of doing so is by providing customers with a Frequently Asked Questions page. As the name suggests, a FAQ page should list the most common concerns that customers have, followed by detailed answers and explanations. This will serve as a first line of defense for your company in terms of solving customer problems.
Call forwarding system
Chances are your small business has a phone number. If so, then customers probably call to ask questions and seek solutions. The last thing you want is for those calls to go unanswered during normal business hours.
With Spectrum call forwarding and similar services, small business owners can focus on important tasks without worrying about missed calls. The calls are directed to your personal business phone or those of your employees, giving customers access to support even when nobody is in the office.
Outsourced customer support
There are numerous agencies that specialize in providing outsourced customer support to small businesses. Chances are you’ve been on the customer end of these services at some point in your life. After a thorough onboarding process, support staff situated in remote locations are able to help your customers solve their problems on your behalf.
In the event of an especially difficult problem that they aren’t equipped to solve, these support representatives can reach you or one of your employees through the aforementioned call forwarding system.
Self-service options
Automated call center access, responsive online troubleshooting, and old-fashioned instruction manuals are all examples of self-service options you can provide your customers. Small business owners are encouraged to compare self-service options to find an affordable solution for their situation.
For companies making and selling products directly to consumers, we suggest commissioning a technical writer to create PDF instruction manuals for customers to access and download on their mobile devices.
SMS chatbots
Text messages are the default way in which most individuals communicate. With this in mind, small businesses looking for cost-effective customer support solutions should consider using short message service (SMS) chatbot technology. This option works as a way to answer common questions your customers have with minimal investment in dedicated support.
CRM software
Customer relationship management (CRM) software is an affordable, reliable, and valuable way to lay the groundwork for cost-effective customer support. CRM works as a centralized hub for customer information, giving your team an easy way to assess a customer’s specific concerns.
From basic information like their name, which can be used to establish friendly familiarity right off the bat, to records of past interactions that help provide context, CRM is a vital tool for those in search of cost-effective customer support.
Small business owners have a lot to worry about and focus on throughout the day. They typically don’t have the time to stand around a phone, waiting for customers to call. That makes it harder for them to provide a consistent form of customer support. Luckily, there are many cost-effective customer support options available to small businesses around the world. These solutions give small business owners the opportunity to manage important tasks without neglecting their customers.
