Customer service: when your company goes the extra mile to win the hearts of its customers!

In a society where perceived value is based more on the experience than on the object itself, a customer service that meets consumers' expectations is a real asset for companies. Whether it's solving a problem, asking a question or simply feeling listened to, customer service is no longer just a department, but also reflects the relationship between a brand and its customers.

As Frédéric Cavazza points out in his article "Le B-A-BA de l'expérience client", the customer experience is essential for satisfaction, loyalty and profitability, indicating that taking care of this experience is a viable lever for differentiation in the long term. The figures also bear this out. In fact, according to a study carried out by Zendesk in 2023, 64% of business leaders say that customer service is one of the factors with the greatest impact on their company's growth, and 60% say that it improves customer loyalty.

So it's vital for businesses to be clear about what customer service is. In this article, Appvizer sheds light on the definition of customer service and the challenges it represents.

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What is customer service? Definition

Customer service is defined as all the actions that a company puts in place to assist its customers, not only by meeting their immediate expectations, but also by anticipating their future needs.

This support is continuous and is therefore operational before, during and after the purchasing action. It is a dynamic process that encompasses all interactions aimed at ensuring that every customer feels valued and listened to at every stage of their journey. Customer service extends beyond simply solving problems, and becomes a loyalty-building tool.

What is the role of a customer service department?

Assisting customers

Firstly, its role is to welcome and guide consumers throughout their purchasing journey.

1. Upstream, this involves answering prospective customers' questions, in particular by providing them with feedback systems (such as customer reviews) to positively influence their decision.
2. At the time of purchase, customer service must ensure that the process runs smoothly, while complying with rules such as the secure double-click.
3. Finally, after the purchase has been made, customer service is responsible for actively listening to the customer and resolving any problems quickly, while encouraging repeat purchases by offering discount vouchers, for example.

Key to customer loyalty

Secondly, customer service must enhance customer satisfaction and, in this way, facilitate customer loyalty. Customer service contributes to this quest by

• by offering fast, relevant and personalised responses ;
• creating a positive experience by personalising the offer and encouraging consumer feedback;
• by enhancing the company's brand image by building a high-quality customer/company relationship.

In these ways, customer service builds a bond of trust that is more or less strong and long-lasting, depending on its transparent and human communication.

A crucial factor in making a profit

Finally, customer service plays a financial role for the company. Its objective is not only to identify and meet consumers' expectations and needs, but also to respect the interests of the organisation. Customer service contributes to a company's objectives and performance:

• by providing an excellent customer experience, which in turn leads to recommendations or additional sales;
• by anticipating trends and needs, enabling the company to remain competitive;
• increasing customer retention rates.

What is good customer service?

Listening and empathy

In a world where technology plays an increasingly important role, customers want more than ever to be understood and reassured. It is therefore essential that customer service preserves a human dimension in each of its interactions. 🤗

To offer a customer service that meets these criteria, you first need to pay active attention to what the customer is saying, without interrupting or assuming what they want to say. Really understand your customers' needs and expectations, even if they are not expressed explicitly. To understand their desires, put yourself in their shoes to better identify their frustrations, doubts or enthusiasms.

Then respond to their requests with kindness , adapting your approach according to the emotional state of the person you are talking to (calming, reassuring, encouraging). Show your customers that you value what they have to say by rephrasing their requests. They will feel understood and you will avoid any misinterpretation. What's more, offer personalised solutions by avoiding over-automated responses.

👉 Being a good listener and empathetic in customer service transforms a simple response into a real human experience, and creates a bond of trust that can build lasting customer loyalty.

Be responsive

Be quick and to the point with your answers. A study carried out by Ringover in 2025 found that one in seven consumers consider customer service responsiveness to be a factor that strongly influences repeat purchases within an organisation.

However, it is not enough to respond quickly to customer requests, questions or complaints. Customer service has a duty to recognise and deal with the reported problem immediately , even if the full solution takes longer.

Our advice: provide the first elements of solutions from the very first interactions and anticipate possible questions or needs rather than waiting for the customer to call you back.

Don't leave your customer in a state of doubt and uncertainty! Adapt your response according to the urgency of the situation and multiply the points of immediate access to be available on :

• telephone
• email
• chat,
• social networks, etc. to multiply immediate access points.

👉 Responsiveness in a customer service shows the customer that they are a priority, listened to and that the company is committed to providing a fast, quality service.

Personalised responses

Personalised responses are no longer just an asset, but an essential requirement of modern customer service. According to McKinsey research, 71% of consumers expect personalised interactions from businesses, and 76% say they are frustrated when they don't receive one. This high level of expectation underlines the importance of companies offering appropriate communications to each customer in order to boost satisfaction and loyalty.

So take into account the profile, journey and particular expectations of each customer in order to tailor your response in the best possible way. In addition, take the context into consideration and use the known and relevant information to create more human and attentive communication. To set the framework for the interaction, ask yourself these questions:

• What type of product or service are you buying?
• What is the problem encountered?
  What preferences have been expressed?

☝️Assurez try to respond appropriately and accurately to the customer's request. Generic answers may seem disconnected, and the customer must never feel like just another number!

The 4 benefits of good customer service

Better analysis of customer expectations

Good customer service means better analysis of customer expectations, because it doesn't just deal with requests. In fact, good customer service :

• listens actively
• structures the information it gathers
• knows how to extract useful information from it,
• asks the right questions
• reformulates expressed and implicit needs
• centralises customer feedback.

Thanks to its multiple skills and its desire to anticipate consumer needs, a good customer service department is able to analyse and understand customer expectations in depth.

A good customer service department also uses monitoring tools to analyse data in an organised way and report reliable trends to the marketing or sales teams. In addition, it enables greater proactivity and attention to detail, and thus becomes a lever for developing the offering in line with real market expectations.

Improving your reputation

Quality customer service creates memorable and positive experiences, encouraging customers to recommend the company to others. Customer ambassadors generally share their favourable opinions by word of mouth or via social networks, which strengthens the brand's reputation and awareness organically.

Maintaining a good customer experience means responding to problems effectively, which fosters the trust of customers who believe in a brand that cares about their satisfaction. The result is loyal customers, who are more inclined to return and keep buying.

What's more, a loyal customer often becomes a brand ambassador, which improves the perception of the company and creates a community that attracts other buyers. This community is further developed by the company's response to customer feedback and comments, particularly on public platforms, building a positive image and minimising the negative effects of unfavourable reviews.

✅ As a result, good customer service is a significant differentiator, enabling a company to build a favourable perceived value and enjoy a reputation for superior quality.

A brand image aligned with its positioning

Good customer service strengthens a brand's image by aligning it with its positioning. It is the first point of contact between the customer and the company, and represents the experience that the brand wishes to offer.

Indeed, a customer service that reflects the brand's values reinforces the perception of a company that is faithful to its positioning. For example, a top-of-the-range brand will emphasise ultra-personalised, attentive service, while a young, dynamic brand will focus on responsiveness and accessibility.

In addition, a quality customer service is one that adapts to its target market. For example, a premium segment with exceptional customer service becomes an essential means of enhancing this positioning. Conversely, for a brand focused on value for money, a fast and efficient service will meet its objectives.

So an excellent customer service is capable of translating a company's brand image into concrete action, while reinforcing its credibility in the eyes of consumers.

Loyalty

As we discussed earlier, good customer service is one of the most powerful levers for building customer loyalty (McKinsey study). By responding quickly to requests and resolvingproblems effectively, it can turn a potentially negative situation into an opportunity to strengthen the relationship.

Remember: a personalised service, which takes into account the specific needs and preferences of each customer, creates a feeling of recognition and appreciation, which is essential for encouraging customers to return.

What's more, a proactive customer service, which anticipates customers' needs and offers them solutions before they even ask for them, reinforces the perception of the company as attentive and reliable. By fostering a relationship of trust and delivering an experience that exceeds expectations, good customer service creates lasting loyalty, encouraging customers to return and recommend the company to others. This loyalty is not only the result of the quality of the product or service, but also of the way in which the customer feels cared for and respected throughout their experience.

How do you provide good customer service?

Tools to optimise your customer service

Customer service software

Customer service software is a technological tool used by companies to manage and optimise interactions with their customers. This software is designed to centralise and automate various customer service functions, enabling smooth and efficient management, across multiple communication channels, of :

• enquiries
• complaints
• customer queries.

The main objective of this software is to guarantee a rapid and consistent response, while improving the overall customer experience.

The functionalities of customer service software vary from solution to solution, but generally include :

• ticket management, which allows you to track every interaction with a customer from the first contact to the resolution of the problem,
• automated responses using chatbots or pre-recorded answers,
• analysis of customer data: feedback, satisfaction trends, etc.
  

These features help with strategic decision-making. Customer service software also offers tools for monitoring customer service performance, with detailed reports on :

• response time
• problem resolution
• overall customer satisfaction.

Some software also includes knowledge bases accessible to customers to help them resolve simple problems autonomously, thereby reducing the workload on agents.

Marketing automation software

Marketing automation software is a tool designed to automate and optimise repetitive marketing tasks, enabling businesses to manage their communications campaigns more effectively and improve customer engagement. This software offers a centralised platform for automating :

• sending emails
• lead management
• prospect scoring
• user behaviour analysis.

The main objective of marketing automation software is to improve the efficiency of marketing teams while providing a personalised, seamless experience for customers and prospects, thereby boosting loyalty and conversion efforts.

The main functionalities of marketing automation software include :

• audience segmentation
• sending personalised automated emails
• creating automated customer journeys (often called conversion funnels).

These tools can also be used to manage multi-channel campaigns (via email, SMS, social networks, etc.). In addition, lead management and lead nurturing are an integral part of the functionality of marketing automation platforms, where users can be supported at every stage of their buying journey. Data analysis and the creation of detailed reports make it possible to assess the effectiveness of campaigns and adapt strategies in real time. The tools can also include :

• A/B tests,
• campaign performance tracking functionalities
• integration with other tools.

Outsourcing customer service?

Benefits of outsourcing

Outsourcing customer service means entrusting the management of a company's customer service to a specialist external service provider, instead of managing the department in-house.

Firstly, outsourcing customer service can reduce operational costs. One reason is that companies can save on the costs of hiring, training and managing in-house teams. What's more, some service providers offer services in geographical areas where labour costs are lower.

But beware: cheaper doesn't mean less expert! External service providers have the experience and tools needed to offer a quality service. This allows the company to benefit from best practice and cutting-edge technology without having to invest heavily.

Finally, outsourcing customer service allows the company to concentrate on its core business, by delegating a non-strategic function to a specialist, and thereby maximising its overall performance.

Disadvantages of outsourcing

However, it is important to bear in mind the disadvantages of outsourcing. It can lead to a loss of control over the quality and manner in which the service is delivered, which can undermine the consistency of the customer experience. Furthermore, outsourcing often involves entrusting sensitive customer data to external service providers. The company must ensure that the service provider complies with strict standards in terms of data security and regulatory compliance (such as the RGPD).

Customer service, a pillar of business performance

In short, customer service is much more than just a function within a company. As we have seen, it encompasses all interactions aimed at meeting customers' needs, resolving their problems and improving their satisfaction at every stage of their journey. Beyond these reactive aspects, modern customer service is part of a proactive approach, anticipating consumer needs through the use of technological tools and increased personalisation of responses.

Today, customer experience is becoming a decisive criterion for customer loyalty. A well-managed customer service is distinguished by its ability to enhance a company's reputation and contribute directly to its long-term success. Not only does it make it possible to meet expectations, but it also creates a genuine relationship of trust with consumers.

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Customer service FAQs

What is the difference between customer service and customer support?

Customer service encompasses all interactions aimed at accompanying, satisfying and retaining customers throughout their customer journey, whereas customer support is used specifically to resolve technical problems or respond to specific requests after the purchase.

What is a help desk?

A help desk is a structure (often telephone or online) dedicated to helping customers by providing answers, technical solutions or support in the event of a problem with a product or service.

What are the best customer service software packages?

✅ Freshdesk

✅ Service cloud

✅ Zoho Desk

✅Salesforce Starter