Building Community and Customer Relationships with Remote Customer Support

People wonder all the time why a business would want to outsource their work to a third-party company.  Other than the most obvious answers of convenience, accessibility, and satisfaction, a factor that often goes unnoticed is the intrinsic advantage an off-site team can provide.

Having a team on-site has long been the go-to method for corporations.  And yet, with the steady growth of innovation with technology, our ability to communicate effectively on a global scale has improved year by year.  Pair that with contemporary society’s reliance on social media to communicate experiences (positively and negatively), it’s become increasingly crucial to maintain effective, quality customer support beyond the traditional on-site 9-to-5.

When problems arise, a consumer has two options:

• Locate an immediate point of contact for the customer support of the company.  As customers are the lifeblood of any business, it’s become crucial that a company’s customer service be available to provide ready assistance and a sympathetic ear, a benefit that third-party companies are uniquely capable, qualified, and available to handle 24/7.
• Vent or lament on social platforms, like Twitter or Facebook.  A growing trend for many irate customers is to complain publicly, prior to receiving customer support (or reaching customer support).  It’s essential for companies to provide social listening and customer services via these platforms to mitigate public rants and develop excellent repport and assistance.  Remote teams are available and trained to provide help in these areas 24/7, globally.

The movie Office Space (1999) is often-cited for its success in using satire to shed light on corporate office ideology.  However, satire also has the ability to highlight and generate discussion on the shortcomings of a subject: in this case, the single-track mindset that companies often have in an office.  Being confined in the same atmosphere over time can alter ways of thinking.

For example, in an office setting, prevailing ideologies can overcome fundamental understandings of dealing with customers in their environment, which affects an individual’s decision-making and communication with clientele (in short — drinking the “Kool-aid” and no longer being able to identify with the customer).

In high-stress environments, negative energy can feed into an individual’s subconscious, affecting the person’s interactions.  This can be dangerous for companies with customer service teams stationed on-site and in close proximity to the rest of the team.  A perfect example of this is during crunch-time or pre-launch.  Being within close proximity to development or highly-stressful situations can create tension, which may reflect in the type of response a rep sends back to the customer.

Working remotely allows for environmental comfort, individual choice, low levels of stress, and 24/7 access points.  It is very appealing to people who wish to take on alternative-work times (nights, weekends, global peak times).  Additionally, our company makes bilingual (or trilingual) support effortless to ramp and onboard.  And while staff is remote, the passion for community and the relationship to the customer only strengthens.  Those who work remotely are often active members of the online global community and dedicated digital customers.  By necessity and circumstance, remote workers can be the intersection of customer, community, client, expert, netizen, and support.

So when launch day comes—or any of the inevitable updates, additions, follow-ups, or spin-offs—and a company is scrambling to handle bug fixes, collect metric reporting, ramp for marketing initiatives, or provide support during a crisis, it’s crucial to have a terrific customer-focused team on your front line.

As the holidays roll around, and your company begins to staff up for the influx of customers, take these considerations into heart while preparing, and perhaps take a moment to speak with us at Metaverse Mod Squad.  We understand that product and meeting numbers and expectations are your primary concerns, so let us take the burden of building and supporting your customer base.  It’s what we do best.

Felicia Ho
Project Manager