Picture this. You're at the grocery store and can't find your favorite cereal. You look all over the place, but you just can't seem to find it. So, you go to the customer service desk and ask for help. The person at the desk doesn't even look up from their phone. They just point to a sign that says, "cereal is on aisle four." Frustrated, you walk away feeling angry and unheard.

We've all been there before. We've all had an interaction with a company that left us feeling unimportant and unvalued. And it's not just at the grocery store. It happens when trying to book a hotel room or return an item we bought online.

Poor customer communication is more than just frustrating for your customers. It can also have a serious impact on your bottom line.

So we're going to take a look at what poor customer communication is, why it matters for your business, and how you can go about delivering proactive customer support.

Let's get started.

What Is Poor Customer Communication?

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Poor customer communication is any communication that leaves the customer feeling unheard, unimportant, or frustrated.

It can happen in person, over the phone, or even through email or chat. And it doesn't necessarily mean that the person you're communicating with is being rude. Some of the most common examples of poor customer communication are:

• Not listening to the customer: This is probably the most common form of poor customer communication. It happens when you're not really listening to what the customer is saying or you're interrupting them.

• Not providing enough information: This happens when you're not giving the customer all of the information they need to make a decision. For example, if you're trying to sell someone a product but don't tell them what it does or how much it costs, that's not enough information.

• Giving too much information: This is the opposite of the previous point. It happens when you give the customer too much information, and they can't process it all. Let’s say you’re a startup that creates software to boost employee morale and productivity. If you use tons of jargon about the specs, you could easily deter them.

• Being unclear: This happens when you're not clear about what you're trying to say. For example, if you're trying to sell digital products online, but you're not sure how to describe them, you might end up being unclear.

Why is Effective Customer Communication Important?

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Effective customer communication is important because it's essential for delivering a good customer experience. But don't just take our word for it. Let's look at some numbers.

• 95% of consumers claim that customer service matters for brand loyalty.
• 62% of customers would recommend a brand to a friend if provided with good service.
• Over 65% of people have higher expectations for customer service now than they had three years ago
• 81% of customers claim that a positive customer experience improves the chances for them to purchase something

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As you can see, good customer communication is essential for delivering a good customer experience. And a good customer experience is essential for your business's success.

Five strategies for improving customer communication

Now that we've looked at what poor customer communication is, let's take a look at some strategies you can use to improve it.

1. Listen to your customers

This one seems obvious, but it's worth repeating. If you want to improve your customer communication, you need to start by actually listening to your customers. That means being present and paying attention when they're talking to you. It also means not interrupting them and hearing what they're saying.

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Active listening is a skill that takes some practice, but it's worth it. When actively listening to your customers, they'll feel heard and valued. And that will go a long way toward improving your customer communication.

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Some ways you can practice active listening are:

• Repeat back what the customer said: This is a simple way to show the customer that you were really listening to them. For example, you might say, "So, let me make sure I understand. You're looking for a product that helps your business send out online digital signatures. Is that right?"

• Ask clarifying questions: If you're unsure you understand what the customer is saying, ask a clarifying question. For example, you might say, "Can you tell me more about the problem you're trying to solve?"

• Summarize what the customer said: This is a great way to show the customer that you understand their problem. For example, you might say, "Based on what you've told me, your business is interested in ordering software that does XYZ. Is that correct?"

2. Invest in Omnichannel Customer Service

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Omnichannel customer service is a customer service strategy that uses multiple channels to reach and engage customers.

It's different from traditional customer service, which often relies on a single channel, like the phone. And it's different from multichannel customer service, which uses multiple channels but doesn't integrate them.

On the other hand, omnichannel customer service uses multiple channels and integrates them. That means your customers can reach you through whichever channel they prefer, and you can connect all of those channels to get a complete view of the customer.

For example, as a small home-based business, you might use social media, your website, email, text messaging, video chat, and screen sharing to reach your customers. And you can connect all of those channels so you can see every customer interaction, no matter where it took place.

Taking note of customer journey map touchpoints on the customer's preferred channels can help to optimize customer communication and the customer experience as a whole by ensuring that customer communication is consistent across channels.

3. Personalize your customer communication

Personalization is one of the most powerful customer communication strategies. And it's not hard to understand why. We all like to feel like we're being treated as individuals and not just as another number.

There are a few different ways you can personalize your customer communication.

One way is to use the customer's name. Whenever you can address the customer by name, it doesn't have to be in every communication, but it should be used when appropriate.

Another way to personalize your customer communication is to use customer analytics to segment your customers. That way, you can send them information that's relevant to them. For example, if you have a customer who's always buying products on sale, you might want to send them information about upcoming sales.

4. Proactive Communication is Key

Proactive communication is when you reach out to customers before they need to contact you. It's a great way to show your customers that you're thinking about them and that you care about their experience.

Let's say you're a small business offering coaching in sales. You could reach out to your customers periodically to check in and see how they're doing. Or, if you know a customer is having a tough week, you could reach out with some words of encouragement.

Some of the best times to be proactive are when:

• A customer has been using your product or service for a while, and you want to check in to see how they're doing.
• Thanking your customer for their past purchases and offering them personal discounts on similar products.
• You're launching a new product or feature and want to let your customers know.
• You're having a sale, or there's some other special event going on.
• You know a customer is going through a tough time.

5. Use SEO to improve customer communication

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SEO, or search engine optimization, is a process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results. And it's not just for getting more traffic to your website. SEO can also be used to improve customer communication.

Here are a few ways you can use SEO for customer experience improvement:

• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. More and more people are using their smartphones to search the internet. If your website isn't mobile-friendly, you're going to lose customers.

• Use relevant keywords on your website. When customers are searching for information, they're going to use keywords. By including relevant keywords on your website, you can ensure that your website comes up in the search results.

• Make sure your website is easy to navigate. If customers can't find what they're looking for on your website, they're going to leave. Make it easy for them by having a well-organized website with clear navigation.

By using SEO to improve customer communication, you can make sure that your website is easy to find and use and that you're providing the information that customers are looking for.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. Five ways to improve customer communication. If you implement these strategies, you'll be well on providing an excellent customer experience.

Remember, the goal of customer communication is to create a relationship with your customers. Building a relationship with your customers can create loyalty and repeat business. So don't underestimate the power of customer communication. It can be the key to your success.

Good luck and happy communicating!

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Grace Lau - Director of Growth Content, Dialpad

Grace Lau is the Director of Growth Content at Dialpad, an AI-powered cloud communication platform and customer experience management tool for better and easier team collaboration. She has over 10 years of experience in content writing and strategy. Currently, she is responsible for leading branded and editorial content strategies, partnering with SEO and Ops teams to build and nurture content. Grace Lau also published articles for domains such Tapfiliate and Dessign. Here is her LinkedIn.

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