By , Cynthia Johnson
Published September 14, 2016
People access the internet on mobile devices more often than desktop computers, and that trend started years ago. It's also been well over a year since "mobilegeddon," when Google updated its algorithms to penalize websites without mobile counterparts.
With so many websites shifting to responsive design, consumers now turn to the mobile web and apps to address online shopping needs. Early adopters make purchases directly from their smartphones. Others use mobile devices to quickly look up items, consume product-specific content and discuss options with peers -- any time, anywhere.
The mobile browsing experience is remarkably different from surfing via desktop, and it's about much more than screen size. It’s about immediacy and creating “micro moments” along the journey to purchase. A recent study shows that 63 percent of adults in the United States use their mobile devices several times in a given month to obtain customer support. Ninety percent of them reported poor experiences when interacting with customer support via mobile.
To maximize sales, customer satisfaction, repeat business and referrals, you must master the art of customer service for mobile. Here are three mobile realities to keep in mind, along with a few tips to help you handle them.
The average response time for customer service requests is 17.5 hours. In the mobile age, instant gratification is the standard. Differentiate yourself by always responding within a few minutes.
Related: 7 Tactics That Show You're Getting Customer Service Right
Individuals will prefer to connect and communicate with you in different ways. For example, older people generally rely on their smartphones to make phone calls, while younger generations also depend on their devices for social media and texting.
To reach the most people as effectively as possible, provide the options they want for where and how to reach out to you.
A cheery tone and emoji can be effective in a number of situations, but not all of them. While emoji are standard fare on mobile, they don't have a place in all mobile interactions. A customer who reaches out to you via your company's Facebook page doesn't necessarily want to be your friend.
Related: 6 Marketing Tactics That Build Lifelong Loyalty
Allow customers to take the lead when it comes to discussion tone. Remain friendly and courteous, without too much formality. But also keep in mind that a chummy tone might not be appropriate for some situations. Your assumed familiarity with customers depends on a number of variables, including your industry, the customer's age, his or her mood and even the channel you're using to correspond.
Focus on making it easy for customers to get the help they want and need, whether they're using mobile devices or desktops. Create a rapid-response, professional and real relationship with the customer. You'll get a lot further than you would if you simply fixated on closing the sale.
Related: If You're Not Solving Somebody's Problem it's Time to Reconsider Why You're an Entrepreneur
https://www.foxnews.com/us/customer-service-depends-on-relationships-even-in-the-mobile-age