Why Are Most Customer Service Tasks Repetitive?

Most customer service interactions revolve around non-unique issues. Customers frequently face the same bugs, seek clarification on similar questions, and ask basic inquiries about shipping or invoicing.

• The same bug that 100 other customers have dealt with
• A clarification on something that was confusing to them, and many others
• A basic question about shipping or invoicing

This repetitive nature of customer service tasks presents a significant opportunity to streamline your operations and boost productivity.

The Problem with Repetitive Tasks

While repetitive tasks are commonplace in customer service, they can be a productivity killer. Support agents often find themselves constantly typing the same responses, linking to the same articles, and repeating solutions. This can be draining and inefficient.

Customer Service Automation: The Key to Productivity

Instead of continuously performing repetitive tasks, customer service automation offers a solution. By investing a small amount of time in automating or simplifying these tasks, you can save countless hours over the long term. By automating these repetitive tasks, you can free up your customer service team to focus on more complex issues and provide a higher level of service.

5 Automation Strategies for Customer Support

Here are five automation strategies that can dramatically enhance your customer service workflow and free up your team's time.

1. Knowledge Base Articles

A knowledge base serves as a centralized repository of information that your customers can access to find answers to their questions. Instead of repeating the same explanations in emails or chat conversations, you can point customers to relevant knowledge base articles.

Remember, a knowledge base shouldn't replace personal support. Instead, it should complement your team's efforts, empowering customers with self-service options while still providing a human touch.

2. Common Replies

Common replies, also known as canned responses, enable you to quickly insert frequently used messages with a click. This eliminates the need for repetitive typing, saving valuable time and effort.

Even without a dedicated help desk system, you can leverage tools like aText (for Mac) or PhraseExpress (for PC) to create keyboard shortcuts for commonly used phrases or entire paragraphs.

3. Rules

Rules automate the sorting and routing of incoming support emails. You can set up rules based on keywords, sender addresses, or other criteria to automatically route emails to the appropriate agent or team. This ensures that emails are handled promptly and efficiently.

4. Product Integrations

Integrating your customer support tools with other business applications, such as billing systems, eCommerce platforms, CRM software, and bug trackers, can streamline your workflow. These integrations allow you to access relevant information from other systems within your customer support interface, eliminating the need for constant switching between applications.

5. Zapier for Seamless Connections

Zapier acts as a bridge between different applications, allowing you to connect hundreds of apps to create custom workflows. You can use Zapier to automate tasks such as:

• Creating Trello cards, JIRA/Github issues, or Pivotal Tracker stories from help desk tickets
• Creating new help desk tickets from Wufoo or Google Forms submissions
• Automatically creating Trello cards or Google Calendar reminders for your customer service maintenance checklist items

Zapier's versatility empowers you to connect nearly any application you use to your help desk, creating a more efficient and streamlined support process.

The Benefits of Customer Service Automation

By embracing customer service automation, you can reap numerous benefits:

• Increased Productivity: Automating repetitive tasks frees up your support agents to focus on complex issues and deliver higher-quality service.
• Improved Customer Satisfaction: Faster response times, personalized solutions, and a consistent experience contribute to greater customer satisfaction.
• Reduced Costs: Automation minimizes manual effort, reducing labor costs and improving efficiency.
• Enhanced Data Insights: Automation can capture valuable data on customer interactions, providing insights that can be used to improve your products and services.

Implementing customer service automation is a strategic investment that can significantly improve your support operations and enhance your customer experience.