What is a customer service flow chart?
A customer service flow chart is a visual tool that establishes the various steps in the customer service process and the order in which they are followed.
In simple terms, the diagram is a map that guides agents through the steps they must take when fulfilling a customer service request .
An effective customer service flowchart is a consistent set of processes for recording and tracking customer contact, which is key to ensuring customer satisfaction and enhancing a business’s role in the marketplace.
If you are part of a customer service team, having a customer service flowchart will become a key tool to respond effectively to any request from the area.
For this reason, in this article we will share with you what this diagram consists of and how you can elaborate it to improve the experience of your clients and with it, achieve the objectives of your company.
What elements does the customer service diagram include?
The customer service flow chart must contain all the steps that are part of the activities of the agents responsible for attending to customer service requests, such as:
- Record customer contact information and request details.
- Classify user requests.
- Create an audit diagram.
- Determine the possibility of supporting the request.
- Resolve the user’s request.
- Confirm the resolution and close the request.
What are the benefits of a customer service flowchart?
Having a flow chart in a company provides multiple benefits, among which are:
- Helps organize the steps to follow to fulfill a customer service request.
- Reduces operating costs.
- Facilitates the standardization of customer service.
- Helps to optimize tasks and procedures.
- It allows to identify the areas of improvement in the corresponding department.
- Help increase brand loyalty by improving the customer experience .
How to make a customer service flow chart?
Flowcharts are created according to a standard, which means that they can be done independently of the process that is described. Generally speaking, a diagram can be created from these steps:
- Identify the points of contact with the customer .
- Outline the overall customer service process.
- Organize the sequence of steps that make up the care process.
- Eliminate possible problems or obstacles in the process.
- Finish the flow chart using symbols, arrows, and key connectors.
- Distribute information between customer service teams and the company.
The customer service flow chart can also be organized in the following ways:
- In blocks: For sequential processes without decision points.
- As a simple process: In blocks, but with decision points.
- Functionally: Establishing a sequence of activities that includes other departments of the company.
How to customize the flowchart to the customer?
The customer service process is unique for each company and the segment in which it operates, which makes creating your own and specific service flow vital to the success of a business.
For this reason, it is important to customize the flow of your company’s customer service processes so that it responds to your specific characteristics and needs, for which it is necessary to determine:
1. Purpose of the flow chart
The first step that you must take into account is the reason why it is necessary to create your flow diagram, which will be the basis of the answers that will be provided to the client both when it is a simple request and when it is a more complex one.
2. Activities covered by the customer service department
Subsequently, it is necessary to define the activities that are part of customer service, defining the order and the people responsible for each one. It is a step-by-step description of each of the actions involved in the process, such as:
- The customer gets in touch.
- The customer service agent opens the first service screen.
- The agent records the first data.
- The agent asks the customer to explain why he has contacted the company.
- The agent searches the knowledge base for information to find the best answer.
3. Responsible for the activities
It is important to have well defined the roles of all team members who work directly in the customer service area, since they must fully understand the flow chart, put it into practice and provide the best solution for each request.
4. Symbology of the diagram
Finally, it is important to choose the symbols that will be part of the structure of the customer service flow diagram and that will represent an action in the service process. Similarly, a table of dimensions must be created to define each symbol used so that professionals can understand them correctly.
Technology to improve the flow of customer service
Having a flowchart is a critical step in improving the customer experience, and one way to ensure that such a flowchart is put into practice effectively is through technology.
For example, having customer experience software will allow you to take full control of all the processes that are part of customer service through:
- Creation of the customer journey map.
- Workflow configuration.
- Automation of ticket forms.
- Measurement of customer satisfaction through various metrics.