Is 24/7 Customer Support Critical for Customers Today

46% of customers expect an answer to social media questions or complaints within an hour. Add in that 70% of the buying experience revolves around how companies treat their customers, and it becomes essential to up your customer support game.

Does this mean offering your customers 24/7 support? The short answer is that it depends on what your customers expect and what your competitors offer. In this post, the https://supportyourapp.com/ team looks at the question in more detail.

Why Consider Offering 24/7 Support?

The rise of digital technology, online businesses, and global markets has made customers accustomed to immediate access to information and support whenever they need it. With customers being more connected than ever, they expect businesses to be available around the clock to address their concerns, answer questions, and provide assistance promptly.

What are the Benefits of Offering 24/7 Customer Support?

There are several reasons why 24/7 customer support is considered critical for customers today. Read through these and see which apply to your business.

Global Customer Base

Businesses often cater to customers from different time zones and regions worldwide. Having 24/7 support ensures that customers in different parts of the world can reach out for help without delays. This is probably one of the most important reasons to opt for 24/7 support.

Increased Competition

In a highly competitive market, offering 24/7 support can be a differentiator. Customers are more likely to choose a company that provides round-the-clock assistance over one that only offers support during limited hours.

Here you should also consider what your competitors are doing as well. If they offer round-the-clock support and you don’t, you may seem less caring.

Customer Expectations

With the prevalence of instant communication through social media, messaging apps, and live chat, customers have grown to expect rapid responses to their inquiries.

Crisis Management

In times of crises or emergencies, customers may require urgent support. Having 24/7 support ensures that businesses can address these situations promptly and maintain customer satisfaction.

Customer Retention and Loyalty

When customers know they can rely on a business to resolve their issues quickly, it fosters trust and loyalty, increasing the likelihood of repeat business. Customers are also more likely to remain loyal if they can reach out as soon as they need assistance.

Real-time Assistance

Some industries, such as tech support, healthcare, and finance, may require immediate assistance due to critical issues or time-sensitive matters. The longer the customer waits for answers, the more frustrated they’re likely to become.

When Don’t You Need 24/7 Support?

However, it’s important to note that the importance of 24/7 customer support may vary depending on the type of business, industry, and customer base. Smaller businesses or those with a predominantly local customer base may find that offering extended support hours during their primary business hours is sufficient to meet customer needs.

You should also consider your target audience and when they will most likely need you. Stay-at-home moms might be asleep in the early evening, and so might only need support during the day. By contrast, shift workers might need more flexible scheduling as they’re unavailable during standard working hours.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while 24/7 customer support is not an absolute necessity for every business, it has become increasingly critical for many companies to meet customer expectations, stay competitive, and maintain customer satisfaction in today’s interconnected and fast-paced world.

You should consult your customers and find out what they require. If they want to be able to reach out at any time of the day or night, it might be time to consider offering extra support.