7 B2B Customer Service Examples to Inspire Your Business
Customer service is not only a key factor for retaining customers, but also for attracting new ones. In the B2B sector, where relationships are often long-term and complex, providing excellent customer service can make a significant difference in your competitive advantage. In this article, we will look at seven examples of B2B customer service that showcase how some companies go above and beyond to delight their clients.
1. HubSpot
Offering free tools and resources HubSpot is a leading provider of software solutions for marketing, sales, and customer service. One of the ways HubSpot stands out in the B2B space is by offering free tools and resources that help their customers and prospects achieve their goals. For example, HubSpot offers a free CRM, a free email marketing tool, a free website builder, and a free academy that provides online courses and certifications. By offering these valuable resources for free, HubSpot demonstrates its expertise, builds trust, and generates leads.
2. Slack
Providing fast and friendly support Slack is a popular platform for team communication and collaboration. Slack prides itself on providing fast and friendly support to its customers, whether they are small businesses or large enterprises. Slack has a dedicated customer support team that responds to queries via email, chat, phone, and social media. Slack also has a help center that provides articles, videos, and guides on how to use the platform effectively. Additionally, Slack has a community forum where users can ask questions, share tips, and give feedback.
3. Shopify
Empowering customers with self-service options Shopify is an e-commerce platform that enables anyone to create an online store and sell their products. Shopify understands that its customers have different needs and preferences when it comes to customer service. That’s why Shopify offers various self-service options that empower customers to find answers and solutions on their own. For example, Shopify has a comprehensive knowledge base that covers topics such as setting up a store, managing orders, marketing, analytics, and more. Shopify also has a chatbot that can answer common questions and direct customers to relevant resources.
4. Zendesk
Creating customer success stories Zendesk is a software company that provides solutions for customer service, support, and engagement. Zendesk believes that customer service is not just about solving problems, but also about creating success stories. That’s why Zendesk showcases how its customers use its products to achieve their goals and improve their customer experience. For example, Zendesk features case studies of companies such as Airbnb, Uber, Mailchimp, and Spotify on its website and blog. These case studies highlight the challenges, solutions, results, and best practices of using Zendesk’s products.
5. Salesforce
Hosting online and offline events Salesforce is a global leader in cloud-based CRM and business software. Salesforce knows that customer service is not only about providing support, but also about building relationships. That’s why Salesforce hosts online and offline events that bring together its customers, partners, employees, and experts. For example, Salesforce organizes Dreamforce, an annual conference that attracts thousands of attendees from around the world. Dreamforce offers keynote speeches, breakout sessions, workshops, networking opportunities, and entertainment. Salesforce also hosts webinars, podcasts, live chats, and online communities that provide valuable insights and tips for its customers.
6. Mailchimp
Personalizing customer interactions Mailchimp is an email marketing platform that helps businesses grow their audience and revenue. Mailchimp recognizes that customer service is not only about providing information, but also about creating connections. That’s why Mailchimp personalizes its customer interactions with humor, empathy, and personality. For example, Mailchimp uses quirky illustrations, animations, and copywriting in its website, emails, and social media posts. Mailchimp also sends personalized messages and gifts to its customers on special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or milestones.
7. Buffer: Soliciting customer feedback
Buffer is a social media management tool that helps businesses plan, schedule, and analyze their social media posts. Buffer understands that customer service is not only about delivering value, but also about improving value. That’s why Buffer solicits customer feedback regularly and acts on it promptly. For example, Buffer uses surveys, polls, reviews, ratings, testimonials, and suggestions to collect customer feedback on its products and services. Buffer also shares its product roadmap publicly and invites customers to vote on new features or improvements.
These are just some of the examples of B2B customer service that can inspire your business to provide exceptional service to your clients. By offering free tools and resources, providing fast and friendly support, empowering customers with self-service options, creating customer success stories, hosting online and offline events, personalizing customer interactions, and soliciting customer feedback, you can increase your customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.
How B2B Customer Service Can Boost Your Business Growth
Customer service is not only about solving problems and answering questions. It is also about creating value and building trust with your customers. In the B2B context, customer service can have a significant impact on your business growth, as it affects customer retention, loyalty, satisfaction, and referrals. Here are some ways how B2B customer service can boost your business growth:
– B2B customer service can help you retain your existing customers and reduce churn. According to a report by Zendesk, 74% of B2B customers say that customer service is very important for their loyalty to a vendor. By providing timely, helpful, and personalized support, you can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, which in turn can reduce the likelihood of them switching to a competitor or canceling their contract.
– B2B customer service can help you upsell and cross-sell your products and services. By understanding your customers’ needs, challenges, and goals, you can identify opportunities to offer them additional value and solutions that can enhance their experience and results. For example, you can suggest a product upgrade, a new feature, a complementary service, or a training program that can help them achieve their objectives faster or better.
– B2B customer service can help you generate referrals and word-of-mouth marketing. Happy and satisfied customers are more likely to recommend your products and services to their peers, colleagues, and network. According to a study by Influitive, 84% of B2B buyers start their purchasing process with a referral. By providing exceptional customer service, you can turn your customers into advocates and promoters of your brand, which can increase your brand awareness and reputation in the market.
Some examples of B2B companies that provide excellent customer service are:
– PipelineDeals: A CRM software company that offers personalized onboarding, training, and support for its customers. They also have a dedicated Customer Success team that proactively reaches out to customers to ensure they are getting the most out of the product and achieving their goals.
– Qumulo: A data storage company that provides 24/7 support via phone, email, chat, and social media. They also have a Qumulo Care portal that allows customers to access resources, documentation, videos, webinars, and forums. They also monitor their customers’ systems remotely and alert them of any issues or potential problems.
– Fluent Support: A helpdesk plugin for WordPress that enables B2B companies to provide fast and efficient support to their customers. They also have a FluentCRM tool that helps B2B companies manage their customer relationships and communication. They offer free installation, setup, and migration services for their customers, as well as live chat and email support.
References:
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20110301/a-customer-service-makeover_pagen_2.html
https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-07-2020-972
https://www.ibm.com/blogs/watson/2017/10/10-reasons-ai-powered-automated-customer-service-future/
https://www.zendesk.com/blog/b2b-customer-service/
https://www.helpscout.com/blog/the-importance-of-b2b-service/
https://www.hubspot.com/products/free
https://slack.com/intl/en-gb/help
https://help.shopify.com/en
https://www.zendesk.com/customer/
https://www.salesforce.com/events/
