We all know that going digital is the way of the future. In your business, you've likely begun digitizing your customer service department in many respects through phone apps or online chat options. However, you still may not have all the tools your team needs to succeed in modern customer service.

Here, we're sharing three common mistakes that companies are making in the digital age and show you how you can avoid them and improve your business. 

1. You Don't Have the Right Tools for Managing Calls

You have a phone system, but if the rest of your technology isn't well integrated, the success of a call will only go so far.

In business, you must consider the purposes of inbound vs. outbound calls. Companies typically make more of one or the other, and you must have the proper tools for each.

With inbound calls, a customer likely has questions or even severe complaints. Therefore, inbound calls must be equipped with proper tech, including call monitoring for managers or even “barge-in” tech. This way, leaders ensure every call ends with a happy customer.

Conversely, outbound calls need tools that easily track how calls went, capture data, and close the sale. If your team is spending more time updating the system than speaking with potential customers, your technology is failing.

Find apps that integrate with your phone system so you can ensure the purposes of calls are met, and your team can continue having meaningful conversations rather than working through tech shortcomings. 

2. Your Technology Isn't 24/7

Your team can only be on the clock for so many hours, but that doesn't mean your technology should stop. When over one-third of customers now expect a response within 30 minutes on social media, being as accessible as possible is crucial.

But with the right technology, you don't need to have any team members on standby at midnight. Many are familiar with automated messages through email, but now apps allow you to automate messages on social media platforms as well.

The right automated message can be an incredibly effective tool. While it isn't a team member, the message does acknowledge that the user is heard. And with enough essential details in the message (e.g., informing the customer of when they may hear back, sharing other ways to get in contact during business hours), the customer will feel comfortable waiting until they hear back from a team member. 

3. You're Not Gathering and Analyzing User Insights

When you have someone on the phone with a team representative, you can typically gather insights about how the conversation went from the team member. But customer service goes beyond phone calls and messages. Customer service is also how your clients interact with your website and access your products and services.

And is your website delivering excellent customer service? How are you measuring this and improving? This is where website insights come in.

There are several ways to gather data on how customers interact with your website. Google Analytics will tell you where customers spend their time on your site, offering insights into what pages need to be optimized. You can also learn more about what keywords bring customers to your site and tell you what to place front and center.

Another critical strategy you should use to gather customer insight is A/B testing. By learning which techniques work on your website and which do not, you can better understand how to improve your website. An improved website means that users find the information they need to learn about your products and are more likely to buy. 

Use Technology to Better Connect with Customers

You can never be too good at customer service. And when the right technology can fill in the gaps where your current service fails, it's time to take advantage. Integrating technology with your phone systems, ensuring 24/7 responses, and optimizing your website will take your customer service to the next level by equipping your business with the proper tools.