How to Improve Your B2B Customer Service?
Some specific companies come to our minds when we hear the word “good customer service”. Disney, JetBlue Airlines, and many more. You can name as many companies as you want, but you have to think that good customer service exists only in the realm of business-to-consumer (B2C) companies.
It is rarely mentioned that there is a business-to-business (B2B) domain that offers excellent customer service.
But, if you work in customer service for a B2B company, that makes it a little harder, your customers need to get the stuff done, quickly, they want nothing but efficient and competent customer service.
Before dive into the best practice of B2B Customer Service, we need to highlight the difference between
What is the difference between B2B customer and B2C customer service?
The difference between B2B customer service and B2C customer service is crystal clear, if you know the basic distinction between the two, it would be easier for you to know the difference between them, and here is how.
Usually, B2c companies provide products and services that are made for individuals and households.
Breakfast Cereal, iPhone, Concert tickets are all B2C products.
B2C companies are not loyal to the brand they have a relationship with. Their relationship is relatively transactional.
On the other hand, for B2B buyers, the price is usually the second option, they insist on the high quality of the products.
Finally, the quality of customer service is a huge consideration for B2B companies when they make a purchase decision.
B2B companies usually take care of their customer service and here is why:
1. Longer Process Of Customer Service
As you are dealing with a B2C brand, if you face any problem you simply contact their customer service, and the process is straightforward whether via email, chat, or phone you get your problem solved.
However, it is a pretty long process when it comes to B2B customer service is the process is a little bit longer and more tangled than that. B2B customer service team often has to dive deep to resolve a customer issue.
2. Collaboration is the key
In B2C companies, one customer service agent can handle the customer’s problem independently because the nature of the service relationship is usually one-to-one.
On the other hand, in B2B customer service, there is often a whole team that works with multiple stakeholders within one client account.
3. Deeper Relationships In B2B Companies
As mentioned above B2B customer service teams deal with multiple stakeholders, that’s why they tend to develop a personal connection with their customers over time.
Unlike B2C companies, most of the B2b Customer service agents know their customers by their first name. And that is very normal as B2B representatives work with their clients for a relatively long time.
4. With B2B, Customer Issues Take Longer To Be Solved.
You might think that that is a negative point, but it is not, and here is why.
The complex nature of B2B customer service typically requires customer service teams to do some research in order to provide the best possible solutions to their clients.
The time it takes for them to do the homework, follow protocols, run tests, make sure everything’s compliant, and document everything naturally prolongs the service delivery time.
ِAfter knowing the difference between B2C and B2B, here are some customer service best practices to improve your online customer service.
5 Steps to Improve your online customer service.
1. Know your customers inside out
B2B customer service is relationship-driven. Unlike in the B2c company, B2b customer service are always dealing with professionals and experts from the same industry and from different industries.
Customers for B2B companies are kind of different, they are data-obsessed and they have their own customers to cater to.
To really master B2B customer service, you have to build a solid rapport with multiple people on your account—while offering them personalized solutions.
2. Build Strong Connections With different Experts.
Each B2B customer has their unique set of problems, they might call you if they have housekeeping issues, other times they might call you to as more advanced questions.
This naturally demands, having collaboration between multiple experts and teams in your business.
3. Create Helpful Self-service Options
As mentioned and cleared above, B2b Customer issues can often be very demanding and high -touch.
However, on the other side, many B2B companies have internal experts who can take care of their problems on their own.
After all, they’re business professionals, they will only need a little help from your side. Offering them a helpful self-service option is a great way to help them to do this.
By applying this system, it can have several advantages, not just for your clients but also for your business.
4. Proactive Customer Service
If you want your business to be a success, the future of your business is in the hand of your proactive customer service representative.
If you take a look at any successful company, you will find out what makes them stand out from the competition, not their different products, but having high-quality customer support.
Proactive customer service is a competitive advantage for any business in today’s hyper-competitive business environment.
In conclusion, If your company is B2B company having customer service is great, but having professional and high-quality customer service is your path to stand out in the competition.
You can improve your customer service quality by following the mentioned steps, or you can hire an outsource company that can do the job for you and train and improves your customer service quality.
