At a time of digital and behavioural upheaval, offering a digital after-sales service appears to be a solution that meets the various challenges of the business. However, for the digitalization of after-sales service to bear fruit, it is imperative to offer an experience that is as qualitative and effective as that of online purchasing.
Therefore, not all digital after-sales services are equal.
So what does it take to have a digital after-sales service that offers a similar experience to buying online?
1. Comprehensive services
Above all, a comprehensive, 100% online experience that offers services that are not only "responsive" but also complementary, related and innovative. This means covering every possible scenario: workshop repair, home intervention, spare parts ordering.
2. To be able to decide and choose solutions
Then give customers total autonomy so that they can carry out the business gesture alone: a very high level of intuitiveness, a fluid interface, call on artificial intelligence to replace the after-sales advisor as much as possible.
3. Capitalize on omnichannel
Articulate digital and analog so that, for example, the customer can from home make an appointment online, but also receive the product and self-repair it when possible. But above all, an omnichannel solution that gives them the flexibility to switch between online, in-store and telephone customer service.
4. Be fast
Keep in mind the pace and therefore the speed of the processes by reducing the seizures that have already been made by the seller (invoice, product information, warranty eligibility) as well as ensuring real-time monitoring of the various parameters (product location, repair status, delivery status...).
5. Branding and harmonising experiences
It's all about avoiding any disconnect between the buying experience and the after-sales service you offer, by giving the feel of an integrated journey:
- Retain the brand's graphic charter because it is a moral and legal commitment
- A true continuity of the purchasing experience, accessible from the orders in the customer area.
What are the obstacles to the digitisation of after-sales services?
1. The financial issue
The salesperson tends to invest in the purchasing experience, which generates sales, and the after-sales service is left to one side! And while a poor after-sales experience can have a negative impact on a brand's image, the opposite is just as true: a good after-sales service builds loyalty and generates new customers
2. After-sales service image
Intrinsically linked to the first point, after-sales service is rarely highlighted because it is synonymous with problems, breakdowns, conflicts and, ultimately, customer dissatisfaction.
3. Its complexity
After-sales service is a complex field, shaped by a number of technical, functional and organizational constraints. The complexity of these arrangements leads to a conservatism that curbs the desire to innovate in this field.
4. The diversity of players involved
Several players, distinct from the seller, are involved in the after-sales service chain: suppliers, repairers, etc. Each of the parties involved in this process has a level of digital maturity. Also, they are rarely all at the same level, which generates interconnection difficulties.
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Although the conditions for a good digital after-sales service prefigure an innovative response to customer expectations, certain cultural and technical obstacles can discourage its implementation. To overcome these difficulties and develop an ambitious, intelligent and autonomous digital after-sales service, it is therefore necessary to consider the means and methods to be put in place. This is what we propose in our next post!
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