Social media and live chat have transformed customer service in recent years for a compelling reason: they often use visual components. Isn’t a tweet or Facebook post more compelling with a photo attached? Or better yet, a video?A report from Zabisco found that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual and is processed at a rate that is 60,000 times faster than text. What’s more, Internet Retailer found that video viewers are 85% more likely to purchase a product after watching a video about it. Gartner further clinches the growing importance of video in customer support with its finding that more than 100 of the 500 largest global companies will introduce video chat by 2018. It’s not just another strategy for customer engagement, but a practice based on science that has influenced customer habits. Brands therefore can use video strategically to engage their customers.Use video chat as part of an omnichannel strategy. Video chat is an excellent channel for customer service. Through video chat, customers will feel they are getting a personalized service experience, and the statistics clearly indicate that seeing a visual solution to a problem-sharing screens via video chat to solve an issue, for example-is much more effective and faster than simply being told a solution. Customers will save time, retain information more effectively, and ultimately feel satisfied with a brand that provides a human touch.Use video for technical support. One important part of delivering exceptional customer service is staying proactive. This partially means providing customers with information so they don’t need to contact agents at all. In addition to providing FAQs on a company website, companies may use video to educate customers by offering video customer support. For example, answering frequently asked questions in a video featuring people (possibly even actual employees) can be a great way to connect with customers and give a company a humanized appearance that’s more personal. Videos may likewise be used as tutorials offering solutions to issues with detailed visuals to guide the support process.Use video as a tool for testimonials. Brands can deliver a strong message about their values and accomplishments through video testimonials, news clips, and interviews highlighting the company. These videos may be produced by the company for marketing purposes or by external sources such as news outlets providing press coverage. In any case, featuring such videos on the company website and social media channels is a great way to engage customers and show them what your brand stands for.Use video as a marketing tool-and give your brand some history. In addition to using video to demonstrate other people’s reactions to your brand, a company may create its own video content to illustrate the history of the company and market its products or services. For example, videos may provide a background on the origins of the brand and its important achievements. In addition, videos may be used as advertisements to demonstrate how products and services work.Encourage customers to post user-generated videos on social media. Satisfied customers often like to share their feelings on social media, and many will go so far as to take photos or film videos endorsing their favorite brands. It’s important to encourage customers to share their content on social media and use them as a tool for engaging the social media community. Some companies-especially retail brands–may even offer rewards or competitions for customer-produced videos.Video offers numerous opportunities for brands to engage current customers, interest new ones, and foster customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Learn about Vocalcom contact center software solutions optimized for video.
