Customer Service: Insights for Marketing and Sales

We all need customer service at one time or another for a product or service we’ve purchased. Very recently, I contacted customer service to help me fix a computer problem. They fixed the problem and sent a survey thereafter to see if I was satisfied with the service.

Not too long after, I had another mechanical problem with another product and required yet another call to a different customer service company. (Not my best week). In both scenarios, my concern was resolved to my satisfaction. I was asked if there was anything else they could help me with that evening.

Customer Support Calls: A Missed Opportunity for Valuable Feedback on Customer Needs

I was a bit surprised that in both scenarios I was never asked a relevant sales or marketing question. I was a customer and a happy one after my problem was fixed. That would have been the perfect time for the customer service representative to get meaningful feedback from a very willing customer.

Wouldn’t product development like to know if I needed a product or service they could offer? Wouldn’t marketing like to know my preferred method of communication? Wouldn’t sales like to know that I’ve grown my business and will be adding a certain number of additional users?

These are hypothetical scenarios but think about it. If you have a responsive customer at your disposal, why not engage to see how your company can better serve them? Better customer service will better serve your company in the future.

To Know Your Customer Better, Align Sales, Marketing and Customer Service

This is yet another example of the importance of having sales, marketing and customer service aligned. Years back I build an inside sales and support renewal team for a software company. This firm’s sales team was run by a top notch sales executive. The executive fostered synergy, collaboration and alignment between sales, marketing, channels, renewals and customer service. The relevant, honest and valuable feedback customer service provided to the other departments was amazing.

Sometimes we miss what’s right in front of our eyes because it’s just so obvious. If you haven’t engaged your customers service department in your sales and marketing efforts you could missing out on prime customer intelligence and revenue.