Content Is the New Customer Service
Here’s what it takes to keep people coming back.
A few weeks ago, I was at a conference on new media and heard this quote: “Content is the new customer service.” At which point I jumped up on my chair and shouted, “YES!” You know, since we provide content. Then I was like, “Wait, what does that even mean?”
Meet the new “It” girl.
Allow me to explain: See, before Web 2.0 became the new “It girl,” customers were loyal based largely on having a positive customer service experience. Today, Cyber Monday is the new Black Friday, so Nancy (or whoever is working in your brick-and-mortar store — if you even have one) could be the best darn sales clerk in the world, but we probably won’t meet her. Instead, we’re likely to have an utterly forgettable automated sales transaction.
Create a reason to keep customers coming back.
So, why do we come back? A great online experience. And this isn’t just true for retailers. In fact, retailers have it easy – some punchy product copy and smart navigation, and they’re all set.
The rest of us? We need to create a reason for our customers to keep us top-of-mind, especially now. This means great content that is well written, frequently updated and relevant to our customers. Done well, this builds a loyal community. And that’s what keeps companies strong. Well, that and a great product.
So what companies are doing this well?