How to reduce the cost of customer support in a company?
Understand customer service costs, how to calculate this expense and its return, and tips on how to reduce the cost of customer support.
The topic 'How to reduce the cost of customer support'is a recurring issue, especially among new companies and startups that are starting out and face challenges to distribute financial investments and keep the business active in the market.
The customer support area is strategic for companies and should not be treated only as a source of expense. After all, this sector bridges the gap with the customer and the quality of the experience provided matters a lot.
In a survey by Statista, 40% of the customers stated that they have already stopped buying from a company due to poor service.
Then, the cost reduction must be planned so that the cut does not impair the quality of the service and so that the customer satisfaction not be affected.
In this article, we explain the costs involved in the support operation, how the expenses are calculated, and tips to reduce expenses without affecting the quality of the service.
Read on and check it out!
What are the customer support costs?
Customer support costs may vary from company to company, but as a rule, it includes all expenses related to the operation of the area, such as:
- salaries and benefits for staff;
- equipment maintenance (computers, headsets, keyboards, monitors, etc.);
- overtime compensation;
- seasonal hires;
- payment from suppliers (service software);
- structural costs such as electricity, internet, room rental, water, etc.
When the company performs the customer service on its own, these and other expenses, including fixed and variable expenses, are necessary to keep the support area active. Remember that there are companies that choose to do the customer service outsourcing.
By listing each expense to maintain the sector, it is easier to analyze whether the expenses are proportional or if they are burdening the company.
In addition, it also allows you to view costs that are unbalancing the accounts and which processes can be optimized by redirecting the budget to benefit customer satisfaction and employee productivity.
How to calculate the cost of customer support?
To calculate the cost of customer support, it is necessary to keep the list of expenses up to date. This data can be stored in a spreadsheet, for example, to facilitate sharing and analysis.
Adding up all the amounts invested, we arrive at monthly cost that the sector has to work. From the general calculation, it is possible to make a cutout and know the cost per call, which further improves the assessment of expenses in the area.
To do this, it is necessary to divide the amount spent per month (on the own structure or on outsourcing the service) by the total number of calls answered in the same period.
Example: a company that spends R$ 5,000 monthly to maintain its support area and answers, on average, 700 calls, has a cost per call of R$ 7.14 per month.
Both data allow us to analyze more precisely whether the expenses are high or low. However, they are not analyzed alone because it is necessary to know if this investment is generating a satisfaction rate (CSAT) positive, that is, if the experience offered has the expected quality.
This set of information will help define how to optimize investments in the support area, considering the improvements identified by consumers and the tools that can facilitate the work and performance of the team.
Do you want to know your company's service ROI? Use our ROI calculator to calculate and organize investments.
How to reduce the cost of customer support?
We have put together some tips on how to reduce the cost of customer support that will help meet the profile of New digital consumer and facilitate the daily life of the service team, improving their performance. Check it out!
1. Unify communication with an omnichannel strategy
Today, it is common for a company to have several support channels available and this allows the customer to contact what they consider to be better or faster.
Managing all of these channels separately wastes time, work, and overwhelms the team, especially during peak times. So the solution is unify channels with an omnichannel strategy.
This is possible with a Help desk software which, in addition to integrating channels into a single panel, improves the call distribution flow and removes bottlenecks. In the market there are options that adapt to each type of demand, so you only pay for what you actually use.
2. Invest in training for the team
It may seem like a counter tip to how to reduce the cost of customer support, but invest in a well-trained team, improves agents' ability to resolve calls upon first contact.
Training is an ongoing process and needs to be updated so that the team has Os knowledge and work tools the willingness to deliver the standard that the company expects.
The objective is also to retain this qualified team, creating stimulating working conditions and avoiding expenses with layoffs and rehiring.
3. Automate repetitive tasks
In addition to integrating the company's service channels, the help desk software also allows automate repetitive tasks, which helps to save time on a daily basis and to respond to customers more quickly. Some examples are:
- create an automatic ticket distribution flow, directing specific calls to agents capable of solving them;
- create macro responses, which are pre-formatted responses to expedite the return to the customer;
- Monitor results of service indicators, among others.
Investments that can improve multiple tasks are advantageous for reducing the cost of customer support.
4. Use chatbot to reduce support volume
Another way to reduce the cost of customer support is to use the chatbot as a thorough of the human team. The objective is to set up an automated service chat that answers basic questions so that the team can focus on the most complex demands.
Also read >>> Chatbot in customer service: benefits, challenges, and how to use.
5. Outsource customer service
Having your own service team and maintaining all the department's expenses comes at a high cost. One option to reduce the cost of customer support without losing quality, is outsource this service to companies specialized in the field.
In addition to negotiating a work model with the best cost-benefit ratio, when outsourcing, the work team is trained and aligned to learn everything knowledge base of the business and deliver the desired standard.
A Cloud Humans can help your company optimize your business support processes and offer a qualified team to provide a humanized, fast and assertive customer service.
Talk to our experts who are available to present our solution and show how much it can help you achieve your business objectives.