Why Customer Service is a 24/7/365 Job

Who killed the 9-5 workday? Is an 8-hour time slot for customer service still accepted? What happens if I ignore customer communication outside of normal business hours? What are normal business hours in 2016? As customer service experts, we have adhered to high customer service standards since opening our answering service in 1986. In this article we want to help business owners understand how the evolution of customer service requires constant attention and availability.   

#CustomerServiceTip: Consumers require that customer service be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (24/7/365).   

A Very Brief History of Customer Service Standards for Reaching Your Audience

To understand how customer service has changed over the years, a smart business owner must briefly consider how communication has evolved. Since this isn’t an article featured on the history of advertising methods, let’s just look at the basic timeline.  

1920 – The Very First Radio Advertisement Broadcasts in Pittsburgh

The first radio station featured a local shop where you could purchase a household radio and listen to broadcasts. Radio sales catapulted with the demand and showed how a business could reach consumers over the airwaves; giving birth to radio advertisements.    

1941 – The Very First Television Advertisement in America

The first official company to purchase airtime in order to reach their target market is documented as Bulova, with their commercial featuring watches. Watch the 10-second ad on Youtube here.

1948 – Evening Programming Begins on Television Networks 

Full-time evening programming begins for all four television networks. There are 27 stations in 18 cities reaching an estimated audience surrounding approximately 350,000 television sets.

1994 – The Very First Public Banner Ad on the Internet

At this time, internet users consisted of approximately 30 million people. Companies began to take notice that they could reach their customers on-line.   

1999 – The Very First Mobile Phone with Full Internet Access

The first full internet service on mobile phones was introduced by a Japanese company.   

2016 – Staggering Statistics All Business Owners Should Know

• • As of 2016, more than 3.17 billion people worldwide access the internet.
• • The number of smartphone users worldwide will surpass 2 billion in 2016.
• • The average attention span has decreased to a shocking 6 seconds.
• • An average American uses electronic media for 11+ hours a day.
• • There are over 1 billion websites currently on the internet.
• • Keywords, “Customer Service” has been eclipsed by, “Customer Experience.”
• • 67% of customers hang up on a telephone call out of frustration they could not talk to a real person.

Who Killed the 9-5 Workday?

So whodunit, who killed the 9-5 workday? Some may blame the evolution of technology. As you see in the timeline above, with time, companies refined their technology to be within constant reach of their target market.

Some people may blame the economic truths of supply and demand. Also showcased in the timeline is the immediate gratification people in general have grown accustomed to; requiring businesses to supply their demand constantly.

In a recently published article, “Is 9 to 5 Working Obsolete?“ Business.com shares an interesting point supporting the idea of 24-hour customer service standards, “Cultural and generational changes have brought about a real demand for immediacy among consumers.”

Simply put, there is no “normal” in business hours anymore because consumers live in a 24-hour world. The internet has given your audience the ability to find what they want, when they want it.

If you want to stay in the competition, you’re gonna need to start giving your customers access to your business on their timetable; that includes nights and weekend.     

What Does the 2016 Customer Experience Look Like?

So now you have a clearer understanding of how customer service evolved into a 24/7/365 job. What next? For further reading, we suggest the following articles that focus on developing your business’s customer service techniques:       

• • Understanding Your Customers’ Needs
• • Free Ways to Improve Customer Satisfaction
• • Customer Service and Telephone Stats Your Business Should Know
• • Benefits of an After-Hours Answering Service
• • 10 Creative Ways for Businesses to Stand Out in 2016

A smart business owner will continually work at keeping their customers’ wants and needs constantly fulfilled. Meeting and exceeding today’s customer service standards can be a tall order for any business, but not focusing on the customer service experience will decrease your chance of surviving in today’s market.   

Our customer service standards are always up to par

Our digital call center has been providing award winning customer service for businesses like yours since 1986. With basic telephone answering service rates as low as $19.95 and no long-term commitment requirements, there’s nothing holding you back from gaining 24-hour telephone coverage.   

Outsourcing your customer service calls to a virtual receptionist team gives you the ability to improve your customers service overnight; while being as affordable as you need it to be. Give us a call today at 1-800-785-6161 to speak with an account specialist and discuss how we can help you can be available to your customers 24/7/365.