I will start this article from the beginning of why I am doing this article. It all started from the very beginning of our problem, the Covid-19 virus. As we all know covid-19 affects a lot of people, including their daily lives, health priorities, and also the business.

When the COVID-19 crisis hit the world in early 2020, many businesses changed the way they dealt with customers. Whether it was important safety improvements, a stronger internet presence, or delivery services, the changes were clear to see. As the new normal grows, many people are learning how to use the internet in their daily lives. For example, if you want to buy something you just want to order online instead of buying from specific stores like you always do before the pandemic.

If the customers want to have more information then they will use the digital way to communicate with the business. Customers expect businesses to provide service 24 hours a day as their digital interactions with them grow.

If a consumer tries to obtain help with a site problem and does not receive it quickly, they may be put off and cancel the sale. People will complain about bad customer service, and you will lose clients, regardless of how good your product is.

What is customer service?

Customer service is a service that is needed by the customer to assist the customers in their needs. Customer service employees often respond to customer concerns and questions via face to face, phone calls, messages, email, and social media.

Businesses can also define customer service according to their own values and the sort of help they intend to deliver. In Backbone creatives, for example, customer service is defined as the act of delivering prompt, reliable, highly organized, always having your back while keeping the requirements of the customers at the center of every engagement.

What are the Types of Customer Services

Each channel may be considered a separate sort of customer service, but in fact, a business can only provide two types of customer service: proactive and reactive. This article will discuss several types of customer service, such as delivering proactive and reactive help through various support channels. 

1. Walk-in service

Before the pandemic, many of us knew that customer services were departments within our individual businesses. People enjoy shopping and prefer to feel and touch the items they purchase. However, as the world continues to change, businesses must position themselves to be flexible and move with it in order to survive.

This type of customer service is provided directly to a customer’s home or office. On-site customer service might include duties such as product installation, yearly maintenance, and product replacements. 

There are pros and cons to walk-in customer service. Here are the lists for more understanding.

Pros of walk-in customer services:

• Communication is more flexible.
• Customers can feel and touch the items they purchase.
• Convenient for the customer to understand the concerns.
• The concerns can be solved easily and the method is easy.

Cons of walk-in customer services:

• The health of the people will be at risk because of the pandemic.
• The time of going to the place of the client can be consuming.
• Slow and inconvenient for people to visit the actual store.
• More money will be needed for staffing.
• Employees can get mad when there is unexpected overwork.
• Businesses won’t be able to reach outside regular working hours.

2. Phone calls 

Who in the world doesn’t have a phone today? In the 21st century, we live in the modern world, so of course, many people are using their phones to communicate with their loved ones. 

As the pandemic continues, we are separating each other from our friends and family because we are afraid of getting infected by the virus. Not only in our loved ones but also in the opportunities in the business. An example is customer service.

For decades, phone call assistance has been the most popular method of customer service. Employees can handle difficult issues quickly and provide thorough, customized service when clients seek assistance over the phone. 

An example of this type of customer service is calling a food restaurant to book and order something, or calling an emergency call from the police, hospitals, and fire stations. 

 Here are the lists of pros and cons of phone call customer service.

Pros of phone call customer services:

• Convenient for the customer to understand the concerns.
• Can solve the problem immediately, especially in an emergency.
• The employees and customers can communicate in real-time.

Cons of phone call customer services:

• More money will be needed for staffing.
• Signals can be a low and cannot receive phone calls.
• The phone calls can’t be used before and after the working hours of the employees.
• Employees can get mad when there is unexpected overwork.

3. Messages/Email

Messaging is one method that is rapidly growing in popularity among businessmen and clients. The nicest thing about messages or email services is that it is not that expensive. The employees will have more time to reply to the messages of the client and they can also use automated responses or templates of email so that they can respond quickly to the client’s concerns.

Pros of phone call customer services:

• Not expensive compared to the other types of customer service.
• Can use the automated chatbots for easier response.
• The employees and customers can communicate in real-time.

Cons of phone call customer services:

• The messages can be delayed and customers can get mad.
• They can’t face the customers, so they can have a misunderstanding.
• Signals can be low and cannot receive messages.
• Some messages are being ignored because employees think that it is not important (it happens all the time to me).

4. Self-services

Traditionally, we have thought of customer service as an on-call fireman. However, today’s clients want more than simply prompt, courteous, and accurate service. This type of customer service is more than giving just information that the client will do on their own. 

Pros of Self-services:

• It gives clients the freedom to discover answers on their own schedule and in their own way.
• Allow employees to concentrate on more urgent consumer concerns.

Cons of Self-services:

• The customer can misunderstand the information of the employees.
• It’s impossible to address all customer issues or demands.
• Customers may find it challenging to access useful information at times.