I'm not the biggest fan of the current customer support format. The customer support calls are okay because you communicate directly with the operative. The written support, however, is as frustrating as it gets. Additionally, the disconnect in understanding between you and the operator makes me want to rename it to customer frustration. We have implemented a system in my business that improves the best aspects of caller support and eliminates text-based support's frustrations. We do this using screen recording software.
Here's how it has improved our customer support services.
Replicating and Documenting Technical issues
We like to see it before we believe it. That's an inside joke we share with our team. We like seeing the errors and technical issues our customers send. We replicate them on our end to understand what the root cause is.
We use VideoFeedbackr, our screen recording software, to facilitate this. A recent example was a tagging error experienced by a client using Goleko. Our developer team listened to the complaints and replicated the issue to understand why the error kept recurring. This replication was recorded hassle-free. My developers then got to the root cause, fixed it, and tested it. They did this while continually recording their screens.
We've recorded videos from this and other interactions stored in our vault. We've documented and kept them for quick and easy reference for similar issues. We have used them to improve customer education, which I explain in the next section.
Demonstration of solutions with screen recordings
It's not enough for us to address the issue. We make it a point to inform our customers about what caused the problem and how we fixed it. We also use VideoFeedbackr to facilitate this. We record a video explaining everything that went wrong, how we fixed it, and some actions our customers can take to perform self-correction.
A good example occurred when we updated the version of Goleko. Some of our customers found their applications stagnant and choppy. It is a far cry from what they are accustomed to as they couldn't manage their projects better.
We tested the new version. It was a significant improvement to the previous version. The problem was a disconnect between the versions. We recorded a video showing how to get the new version and eliminate the stagnant and choppy older version. The video had two steps. A greeting and a fix. The fix was a simple CTRL+F5 button press for a hard refresh. You can imagine the look on our customers' faces.
We have recorded more such videos and have them available for numerous issues. They provide enough information to our customers on how to fix these issues, which is the intent behind customer support.
It has improved our overall efficiency and customer satisfaction. The feedback and response to this addition are positive. It has gone a long way to endear them to us. You can take a proactive approach to dealing with your customers. I have written a piece that can help you get started.
Read: Developing Content for Every Stage of the Customer Journey
Building a Knowledge Base of Troubleshooting resources
It is a welcome unintended positive. We have built a knowledge base that ensures everyone in the team operates at optimal capacity. Our SOPs guide how we operate within the team. We share this as project on Goleko that I invite everyone to. I conveniently named it 'How We Do Stuff' which is quite self-explanatory. The SOPs within were initially in written text. They worked okay for a while but the difference in interpretation and their wording meant some variation was inevitable. I used VideoFeedbackr to record videos specific to each SOP. The videos contain all the information and knowledge everyone needs to understand their roles, how to use our resources, and how to work in our team. It is a valuable knowledge base that has eliminated any confusion and variation in our team.
My virtual assistant was the first new hire to find this system. She had access to the written text and the accompanying videos. She fits in seamlessly and is producing as expected. Everyone has access to this knowledge base and uses it to perform their tasks to the best of their ability. We have delivered good and quality services to our customers as a result. Our primary goal in customer support is excellent service delivery. Fixing issues is something secondary to us. If the products or services are amazing, then there won't be a problem to handle. I've attached an educative article on our onboarding process for those interested.
Read: Onboarding and Training New Remote Employees in a Virtual Environment
Remote assistance and collaborative support
It is an internal benefit we've enjoyed in our team. We use VideoFeedbackr to give feedback on our projects and tasks. Some are handled by multiple people. A good example is our content team. Our writer and virtual assistant regularly collaborate on various projects. Our writer makes the content, and our virtual assistant distributes it. She knows what works well for socials, and our writer knows how to write quality and educative articles.
They use VideoFeedbackr to enhance their communication on the tasks they do. They have worked well to find a good balance between good content for our audience and the social channels. I give feedback to them, and offer the same to me as well. These changes have helped us elevate our team's standing on Google and the online sphere. How does this internal advantage help our customers? Customer service isn't exclusive to solving problems. Giving quality service to your customers is an actionable form of customer support. We've used the videos we've made to collaborate remotely, assess our deficiencies, and optimize our operations.
We've realized the optimization of our team procedures. The services we offer are now at the quality we desire, and it's thanks to the constant evaluation and improvement we've done. VideoFeedbackr has facilitated this collaborative support. Good customer support and service are the byproducts. You can enjoy good service from our wonderful in-house testers. Get your software properly tested to iron out every kink. You Build, We Test. You can also learn why we take quality assurance seriously in our team.
Read: Why Quality Assurance is Essential
FAQs
How can VideoFeedbackr change the customer support service?
VideoFeedbackr will improve customer service. Your customers can easily record all the issues they face and send the video to you. You can then replicate the issues, find a solution, and record an explanatory video detailing how to solve it. Your customers can watch the video you send, fix the issue, and get the assistance they need without any issues or confusion.
How can we use VideoFeedbackr to replicate and document technical issues?
We can use VideoFeedbackr to record our replication of the issues we receive from customers. It will help us find the hitch and document it in text and within the video. We then formulate a fix, record the fix, and document it. VideoFeedbackr is useful for the replication process.
How can we use VideoFeedbackr to Build a knowledge base of troubleshooting resources?
The videos we make during the replication, testing, and fixing process build the knowledge base for the troubleshooting resources. Every video you record using VideoFeedbackr in any of these stages helps you build your knowledge base of troubleshooting resources. Just remember to sort them out in their correct sections.
How can we use VideoFeedbackr to demonstrate solutions?
You can use VideoFeedbackr to record solutions to errors raised by clients. Replicate the issues they raise, test, and fix them. Use VideoFeedbackr to record a fix with a detailed explanation. This video recording will help your customer resolve the issue and will be valuable to the next customer facing similar issues.
How can we useVideoFeedbackr for remote assistance and collaborative support?
VideoFeedbackr is good for remote collaboration. You can give video feedback and enhance your team's understanding of tasks and projects. You can also use it to share explanations on aspects of the project. This is a form of collaborative support that will help your team achieve the best for itself and your customers.
For these and more thoughts, guides, and insights visit my blog at martinbaun.com.
You can find me on YouTube.