Updates That Retain Customers
It’s true of virtually every industry: If consumers find it a hassle to deal with a business or provider, they’ll move on to a different one. A recent study found that 80% of U.S. customers who churned did so because of dissatisfying customer service. What’s challenging about service experiences, however, is they span multiple touchpoints and many moving parts. Even when the actual service is excellent, having poor (or no) communications around it can sabotage the experience for customers.
Consumers expect scheduling, tracking and completing a medical or field service appointment to be as easy as ordering an Uber. They want timely appointment reminders and real-time notifications when their doctor or technician is running behind. Insurance customers expect updates on claim processing and repair timelines, while bank customers seek guidance and status updates when applying for a loan. Complicated scheduling processes and poor communication can lead to missed appointments, increased inbound customer contact calls, or switching providers resulting in lost revenue, higher costs and increased churn.
92%
of consumers said that being contacted proactively changed their perception of the company in a positive way
Why Traditional Appointment and Service Communications Fall Short
They’re imprecise.
Consumers are more likely to ignore appointment messages when they lack personalized details. Same with reminders or status updates sent over channels (or during times) they don’t check. As an example, a reminder sent only via email on the day of the appointment may not reach customers who don't regularly monitor their inbox. People who receive five reminders through email, text and phone—after they’ve confirmed the appointment— may feel annoyed and confused, causing them to tune out future communications.
They lack coordination. If field service technicians aren’t informed of a customer's request for a 30-minute pre-arrival notification, the customer may not be present for the service appointment. If cable customers are experiencing an outage and awaiting service, getting a promotional text for a new bundle can make a frustrating experience even more so. But this disconnect happens often because teams sending these communications don’t know the customer’s context.
They don’t provide consistent status updates— or any at all.
When customers miss updates on their insurance claims or loan applications, they fail to take necessary actions and slow down their time to resolution. If patients aren't informed about overdue preventative care like checkups or vaccines, their health could suffer. All the while, this ineffective communication frustrates customers, prompting them to make multiple calls for updates.
Timely Reminders Drive Timely Actions
How can you ensure your updates aren’t just seen by customers, but acted upon? By sending timely, omnichannel reminders with essential details and rescheduling options to minimize no-shows. Or offering digital tracking for appointments and services, providing transparency and reducing the need for status inquiries.
of consumers found proactive customer service to be a pleasant surprise
of patients are more likely to choose a provider that offers reminders for follow-up care via email or text (Accenture).
The question is, how can you break through the notification noise and meet customer expectations?
Enter: Proactive, Personalized Communication
Efficient appointment and service communications with proactive, guided interventions improve the customer and patient experience, promoting appointment completion, customer retention through self-serve channels.
Xponent simplifies the appointment and service management experience by providing:
Flexible scheduling options
Proactively nudge customers to schedule field service or healthcare appointments through digital channels. Route callers to the correct agent if they choose to call instead of scheduling online.
Reminders
Send proactive, personalized appointment and service reminders via each customer’s preferred channel (email, text, outbound call). Allow customers to confirm or reschedule based on their preferences.
Real-time status updates
Initiate tracking updates for any type of service experience, such as insurance claims or appointments (field service or medical). Give customers the option to receive updates based on their channel preferences.
