Knowing your customers is of the utmost importance when we talk about engagement. Through the conversation you can get closer to what people expect from your brand, what their concerns are, how they hope to solve them and when.
Below, we share with you the importance of knowing the customer and how to do it by taking advantage of instant messaging channels, ideal for interacting in a closer, more fluid and discreet way.
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What is relevant to know a client
A company that knows its customers has access to information and insights that allow it to introduce improvements to products and services with the guarantee of satisfying the real needs of the consumer.
In this way, it is possible to interact with customers according to their real needs, personalizing communication to the maximum and providing a better customer experience, something key for companies to gain ground over the competition.
Knowing your customers is key for your business to be able to position itself effectively among its customers, increasing loyalty levels, which translates into greater profitability, since attracting new customers can be up to 25 times more expensive than retaining existing ones. already existing.
How do conversations help to get to know the customer?
There is a lot of valuable information that you can extract from daily interactions with customers, thanks to which you can personalize strategies by gaining a better understanding of their concerns, needs and interests.
Now, how to obtain this information in a friendly and simple way? Instant messaging channels are currently the best way to establish direct and permanent communication with each client, facilitating actions such as:
- Common queries. Messaging channels are ideal for resolving questions such as product availability, prices, opening hours and branch locations, among others.
- Customer Service (SAC). These means of contact make it possible to provide a SAC in real time, facilitating the resolution of problems and obtaining information of great value for future attention or generating cross-selling strategies.
In the current context, the digital environment is decisive for companies to position themselves in the market. A conversational strategy through messaging channels allows you to get ahead of the competition, discovering the real expectations of the consumer in one-on-one conversations, to offer a personalized service and increase the income of your company.
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Instant messaging: a powerful tool
It is clear that knowing customers can provide a powerful competitive advantage, but the procedure to do so must be agile and based on the means of communication that the current user prefers to use.
In Latin America, 70% of the population uses cell phones, which is equivalent to 440 million people, so mobile devices represent a highly valuable tool for company-client communication. These figures demonstrate the importance of instant messaging as a tool to communicate with consumers.
Some messaging applications for customer service
1. WhatsApp Business
Released in 2018, WhatsApp Business is a free business messaging app. Using end-to-end encryption, it makes it easy to communicate with customers without losing professionalism or security.
Currently, the platform has 2 billion monthly active users and transmits 65 billion messages daily. The high volume of interactions is explained by familiarity with the application, in addition to the desire to obtain information quickly. One of the main options to stay in touch and get to know your customers.
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Advantages of WhatsApp Business for customer service
- Global presence and the possibility of growing together with your business;
- Sending of automatic messages of welcome, absence and answers to frequently asked questions;
- Sending photos, videos, audios and GIFs to enrich your communication;
- Organization of conversations with labels to facilitate the identification, search and resolution of queries;
- Creation of catalogs of products and services, with photo, price and description.
2.Facebook Messenger
Launched in 2011, Facebook Messenger is a messaging app that allows users to message businesses directly and build a trusted relationship with the brands they consume.
According to data from Facebook, more than 1.3 million people use Messenger to chat with brands and Brazil is the country with the highest adherence (76%) to the tool. It is estimated that in 2022 the number of users will reach 138 million, being most popular among people aged 25 to 34 in the United States.
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Advantages of Facebook Messenger for customer service
- Labels and notes to categorize messages in the inbox;
- Setting up automatic greetings to welcome potential customers;
- Automated responses to specific FAQs;
- “Responds to messages very quickly” badge for businesses that have a response rate of at least 90% and a response time of less than 15 minutes.
3.Instagram Business
Although not a business messaging app itself, Instagram for Business offers the ability to engage with customers through direct messages and comments. And we must not ignore this opportunity for conversation!
According to a recent study, 81% of people who search for products and services on the platform and more than 130 million click on posts of this type. Therefore, it may be time to consider Instagram Business one of the messaging apps with customer conversion potential.
To better support and manage customer conversations at scale, you should use the Facebook Messenger API, which is now compatible with Instagram. That means businesses can manage interactions that start from their profile, stores, and stories in the app. This is a basic tool to get to know your customers.
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Advantages of the Instagram Business API for customer service
- Monitor and control your interactions through direct messages;
- Manage and respond to comments on posts;
- Identify the posts in which your company has been mentioned by other Instagram users;
- Statistics about the demographics and behavior of your audience in relation to your content;
- Post photos and videos.
4.Telegram
Launched in 2013, Telegram is one of the messaging applications that has gained space in digital conversations. With 400 million monthly active users, it has strong encryption and customizable elements.
Among instant messaging services, Telegram stands out for its privacy reputation. In some countries, users are migrating from WhatsApp to the Russian platform in search of more control over the data they share with third parties.
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Advantages of Telegram for customer service
- Chatbot ecosystem to automate commands in individual or collective conversations;
- Creation of groups of up to 200,000 members;
- Protection of messages from hacker attacks;
- No limit to the size of your photos, videos and messages;
- Option of secret, end-to-end encrypted and self-destructing conversations.
5.Viber
Developed in Israel in 2010 and later acquired by Rakuten (Japan), this messaging application stimulates more than 7 million interactions per minute, according to the company’s own data.
In addition to sending text messages, photos, videos and files, it also allows the creation of communities with an unlimited number of members and advertisements to attract new opportunities. Undoubtedly a very good option to meet your customers.
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Advantages of Viber for customer service
- Multiplatform (available for mobile phones, desktop and tablets).
- Automatic notifications if any of your contact information changes to make sure you know exactly who you are communicating with.
- Decide what members of a group can post and delete spam.
- Hide the phone number of the members of a community for greater privacy.
- Promotional stickers to promote brand awareness.
- Strategic and consultative account management with recommendations to grow your business.
- With the Zendesk API for Viber, you can also set up bots to automate repetitive tasks and frequent interactions.
6.WeChat
Launched in 2011, WeChat is one of the most popular messaging apps in China and is already reaching the rest of the world. According to a 2020 Statista study, it recorded 1.2 million monthly active users from a wide range of age groups.
To give you an idea, almost 80% of the top 500 companies in China have adopted the business messaging version of WeChat as a communication tool. However, it offers some limitations compared to other instant messaging services. Take a look below!
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Advantages of WeChat for customer service
- Although WeChat does not allow external links on its platform, it does offer a store for businesses to make sales without leaving the app.
- There is a function called “Mini Programs”, through which you can offer promotions, discounts, create games and interact in a relaxed way with your customers.
- WeChat offers a functionality called Key Opinion Leaders (KOL), which helps brands partner with influencers, share sponsored posts, and reach new markets.
7. Twitter
Created in 2006, Twitter is one of the most dynamic and innovative messaging applications in the world. In just a few characters, people share their personal lives, news, updates, and interact with brands, celebrities, and political figures.
According to data published by Twitter, the platform is at the forefront of discoveries. 53% of users tend to be among the first to buy new products and 26% spend more time viewing ads than on other social networks.
Another study, from the Nielsen Brand Effect, found that Twitter business messaging is responsible for 8% more brand awareness and 3% more purchase intent. A very important tool to know your…