Technology has proved to be an unmatched innovator for businesses world over. Modern technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and data analytics have revolutionized every segment of businesses, be it logistics, customer relationship management, inventory, or others. Large-scale technological penetration has empowered businesses, enabled them to offer enhanced convenience to customers in addition to a barrage of innovative offerings while making processes much more efficient and streamlined. The value of these enhanced offerings, however, will diminish if organizations lack in the after-sales service domain.
If the after-sales customer experience is not up to the mark, customers are very likely to take their business elsewhere. In fact, as per research, it takes 12 positive customer experiences to counteract any negative impact on a brand.
To have a better picture of how innovative technologies can drive seamless after-sale service, let’s look at the following pointers:
How predictive repair can improve after-sales services?
In the realm of after-sale service for electronics, predictive repair has lately been a godsend. It gives businesses the power to forecast failures of diverse nature that may interrupt business operations. Doing so prepares them to handle and tackle repair challenges in advance. This eventually strengthens the network quality of a business on a large scale and helps them communicate better with customers.
Moreover, it’s a truism that a major proportion of a business’s operational costs is generated during the service phase. A small fault in operations can lead to big losses. Businesses should, therefore, take smart steps at every phase to bring down their operational cost and integrate predictive maintenance in their operations. It enables a business to efficiently design its initial stage of maintenance processes and add efficiency to the overall mechanism as per the customer needs and aspirations.
The rise of analytics in after-sales services
Today’s consumers are cognizant and on the constant lookout for instant gratification. For instance, after making a purchase, if there occurs a glitch in the appliance, customers usually show no patience and start looking for quick solutions. For instance, today you order a smartphone online but find a software issue after receiving the product, failing to resolve such issues forthwith can be a huge downturn for businesses, and they may end up losing the customer.
To address this challenge, several businesses are integrating analytics in their after-sales service segment, to not only study consumer behaviour but also remain up to date with market trends. Leveraging this information gives them a clear picture of impending challenges, putting them in a position where they can solve issues sooner than expected. Thus, analytics is the perfect tool to resolve issues that might happen in the future, right on time.
Such is the role of data in the success of any business, and analytics is the tool that empowers businesses to make the entire customer journey engaging and satisfying. Brands should also keep a tab on these journeys at every step, and keep improving their after-sales services accordingly. For the effective usage of data, several companies are keen to hire chief data officers and data analysts who are adept at handling data generated by customers, leverage it and thus adding value to the business.
Reviewing these factors from time to time is critical for businesses to keep up with the changing trends and ensure that customers’ after-purchase needs are timely met without any hassle. To win customers, offering them something extra and special is imperative to keep them intact to the soul of the business. Customers should be appreciated every now and then, which will ensure that they don’t switch to other brands.
The road ahead!
With all these factors in mind, businesses should leverage modern technologies and create solutions to prevent customers from any kind of bad experience throughout the product lifecycle. The ever-increasing importance of after-sales services for the success of a business, therefore, stands true in today’s market. Businesses should keep introducing newer ways to innovate their after-sales segment, and technologies like predictive repair and analytics can be a great way to achieve this goal. These technologies are already picking up the pace and have significant potential to enrich the after-sales service of a business, not only to win customers temporarily but retain them for a lifetime.
