Aside from financial costs, here are other essential factors to consider:
Type of product
Does the type of product sold by the business require 24/7 support? By and large, in business-to-business transactions, issues regarding products that are used during regular office hours can be resolved during office hours. However, for other offerings used in critical business operations, such as advanced security systems, the client may require a guarantee that the manufacturer can assist them anytime.
For most business-to-consumer transactions, the standard 9am-5pm operating hours is expected. However, for goods that are non-perishable and normally sold during weekends, such as home furniture or kitchen equipment, customers may expect after-office or weekend assistance.
Businesses should assess whether its product inventory requires immediate responses or can do with next-day replies.
Customer profile
Where is the geographical location of your customers? If your customers are locally-based, a 24/7 call center may not be necessary as there is similar operating hours. On the other hand, businesses with international customers may need to provide round-the-clock availability to account for different time zones.
Competition
Are your competitors providing all-day customer service? Simply put, the business may need to do the same in order to increase customer satisfaction and stay ahead of the competition.
Generally speaking, as Forbes has stated in an article, being available when needed is a way of improving customer service. This, however, does not mean that businesses should immediately set up a 24/7 customer service center, whether outsourced or in-house.
There are crucial elements to consider, including costs and customer expectations based on products or services sold, among others. These should all be taken into account before deciding on the best schedule for customer service operations.
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