Phone support is not dead!
It’s not even on life support. There are some studies that say an overwhelming majority of customers go to the phone as a second line of support. Yes, there are businesses and certain segments of the population that are turning to phone alternatives to connect with the companies they do business with. Technology is ramping up with different ways to contact one another, and some of them are quite good. Yet, at least for the foreseeable future, you can count on the phone to have an important place in customer service.
Reservations.com is a perfect example of this. They are an Internet travel company that helps their customers book hotel rooms. Co-founders Mahesh Chaddah and Yatin Patel are very proud of their value proposition, which is all about service, and specifically phone support. Yes, they offer other channels such as chat, but it is their 24/7 availability on the phone that helps set them apart from the competition.
Chaddah says, “Customers want an overall experience when dealing with customer service, and submitting an e-ticket is not THE answer, even for tech-savvy millennials.” Patel comments, “Instead of letting our customers waste time waiting for email responses or leaving them to comb through FAQ sections, we have dedicated our (support) center to help our customers avoid unnecessary frustration and give them the opportunity to speak to an agent directly to answer any questions at any time via the telephone.”