“Every day we’re saying, ‘How can we keep this customer happy? How can we get ahead in innovation by doing this’, because if we don’t, somebody else will?” – Bill Gates
Keeping your customers happy is not only about offering them a superlative product or exceptional service, rather it is about offering them a top-notch experience.
When you are in a domain as competitive as SaaS in a B2B set-up, customer experience becomes all the more critical. If you don’t offer optimum customer support, you may lose out on valuable customers, leading to eventual stagnation in your company.
You may have the greatest software products for companies, but since you’re catering to human beings, they will need support at least once. Thus, it makes sense to invest in a CX strategy that goes the extra mile to not only grow but also retain your buyer base.
The challenge intensifies as you onboard more clients because you will have more pain points to address and more expectations to meet.
While you will definitely need seasoned customer support experts to address queries and issues, having multiple support agents dealing with the same customers can be a challenge in itself.
At this stage, switching to a cloud-based CRM software may be the best move for your SaaS company. It helps restructure communications and keeps all the agents up-to-date on customer data through a unified database. In fact, there is much more that you can do to enhance your customer experience.
While investment in CX tactics, technology, and training could be an expense for your business, it is worthwhile because it drives retention and growth.
Before learning more about the strategies, you can implement to take your customer experience to the next level, you need to understand why it matters a tad more in the SaaS landscape.
Why does Customer Experience matter for B2B SaaS Companies?
A recent report by Accenture states that 90% of B2B executives consider CX a vital factor when it comes to achieving the strategic priorities of their organisations. Also, a majority of B2B buyers look for the same experience as their B2C counterparts.
So, the thin line between B2B and B2C buying experiences is blurring in the current landscape. While buyer expectations were only critical in the B2C world initially, they are now as important for B2B sellers as well.
In fact, they may be even greater when you are selling a technology product because buyers tend to be more aware. Moreover, key decision-makers for businesses want quick and convenient purchases, along with personalised experiences because they are pressed for time.
If you envision rapid and sustainable growth for your SaaS B2B company, going the extra mile with CX makes sense.
Strategies for Elevating the Customer Experience
Now that it is clear how valuable customer experiences are for SaaS businesses with B2B clients, it is imperative to look for ways to enhance them. Here are some tried and tested strategies you can rely on.
- Connect with Prospects just as they Sign Up
As soon as prospects sign up for a SaaS trial, customer support starts. It is the best time to demonstrate your commitment to being a part of their journey with your product and brand. While phone calls may not appear feasible if you have hundreds of sign-ups every day, every phone call holds immense potential for business development.
Also, these phone calls get you some actionable insights that you can use for experimenting with your SaaS onboarding funnel. They serve dual benefits, in terms of getting new customers as well as consolidating relationships with them for the long haul.
- Tune-up Omnichannel Experiences
Since digital platforms are quickly taking over traditional sales channels like in-person visits and telephonic sales, an omnichannel approach is imperative if you want to ramp up your CX.
The same goes for customer support––you need to think beyond conventional channels like phone, email, and chat. Digital platforms enable B2B buyers to engage with SaaS products according to their convenience and preference.
When you sell in a B2B landscape, you engage with important people within the client organisations. These people may prefer using various digital channels such as SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, and more rather than conversing on the phone.
It is vital to identify and make the most of all the omnichannel opportunities to ensure that your buyers get a consistent experience regardless of the channel they use.
- Leverage Visual Aids to resolve Issues
Incredible customer support is all about stepping in their shoes and resolving any issues that they may face. When it comes to selling SaaS in a B2B setup, using software to solve their problems is a great idea.
You can rely on a business CRM software that comes with screen-sharing features to ease resolution issues for customers. Visual support such as videos and pictures help customer support reps resolve any concerns and explain solutions to the users more explicitly.
Screen-sharing and videos bring transparency and clarity to the process so that buyers can understand things better. Such tools simplify the client’s journey and let the support reps’ complete tickets faster, leading to higher satisfaction rates.
- Train your Customer Support Team
Customer support is as vital as any other functional area for businesses. B2B customer support for SaaS companies specifically depends on collaborations.
This is because resolving even the simplest of issues may require several complex steps. Having a skilled and resourceful support team can make all the difference to the CX you deliver, and eventually, the reputation of your business.
Investing in training for your team gives them the clarity and confidence they need to deal with customers and address their issues effectively. Encourage them to interact with each other to learn about typical queries and situations and how they can address them better.
Additionally, using a collaborative software such as a cloud-based CRM solution takes their efficiency and potential to the next level.
- Listen to the Voice of the Clients
Feedback is the mainstay of good customer support as it helps you identify the gaps in CX and close them for good. Listening to the voice of your customers is vital as it gets you valuable insights into their current experiences and expectations for the future.
A widely-used practice in the B2C landscape, it can power up the support function for SaaS businesses that cater to a B2B clientele as well. Consider conducting regular surveys and gathering data to form a real picture of your clients and their expectations.
While it may take some time and effort to gather customer insights and conduct data analysis, it is worthwhile for a SaaS company that wants to stand apart from the competition.
The takeaway…
Great customer support is a cornerstone when establishing a successful SaaS business in the B2B landscape. However, it is easier said than done because the workload is heavy for the team, considering the number, variety, and complexity of issues they receive every day.
Moreover, managing loads of information and explaining technology to customers with limited tech-savviness are additional challenges. The best way to handle the challenges is by investing in smart solutions that empower your support team with better communication, smarter insights, and high-end CX tools.
Author bio:
Vanita Arora is a marketing enthusiast. She is currently working with Servetel – a leading cloud telephony service provider based in India. Travelling, photography, and reading keep her rejuvenated.