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A key ingredient to a successful business is knowing how to keep your customers happy.
One key way to keep them happy is to have a designated point of contact within your company.
Studies show that 43% of customers are more likely to purchase from a brand after a positive customer service experience. A solid plan for point-of-contact positions in your business is a smart way to invest in better customer service overall.
So, if you’re wondering what a point of contact is, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’ll look into:
What is a point of contact
8 examples of a point of contact
6 ways to improve a point of contact
Let’s dive right in.
What is a Point of Contact?
Before we discuss the different types of points of contact in detail, let’s first understand what a point of contact is.
A point of contact is the person or entity you designate as the primary contact for another person or business. This could include answering a phone call, coordinating a project, or resolving a tech issue.
The point of contact will be the person who hears the customer or business and resolves the issue, or connects them with the appropriate person who can.
However, the point of contact does not simply pass the customer or business to someone else. They are part of the entire conversation, whether via email or phone, so they can stay informed about the whole process and keep the customer or business updated on the status of their work.
8 examples of a point of contact
If you want to excel at something, you’ve got to take a deep dive into everything about the subject. Just as you would learn digital marketing as a communications professional, should you understand the top examples of points of contact and how to apply them in your business?
So, let’s take a look at those now, shall we?
1. Customer Service Rep
A customer service representative is one of the most common points of contact positions. Almost every company has one nowadays. If you encounter any issues, you can message them, and they will help you resolve them.
Customer service representatives often hear your issue and then refer you to the next person or department. However, as a business, you can take this as a lesson learned and find a way for your customer service rep to help the customer from start to finish.
That way, the customer doesn’t get frustrated by having to tell someone new the story again for the millionth time. Customers will feel heard when the customer service rep is integral to the resolution process. This emphasizes the importance of hiring the perfect sales employee who can handle customer interactions with a comprehensive understanding and responsiveness.
2. Receptionist
A receptionist is a valuable point of contact for brick-and-mortar businesses. The first person a customer sees when they walk into an office is often a receptionist or someone who checks them in.
Since it would be challenging for this version of a point of contact to be with the customer every step of the way, other strategies can help make this role successful.
For this reason, many companies have turned to AI receptionists, which have evolved significantly in recent years, to provide excellent customer service at every stage.
For example, provide receptionists with superb training so they can connect customers with the right person without shuffling them around. By empowering the receptionist with the necessary information, this role can excel as a point of contact.
3. Technical Support Hotline
People who call a technical support hotline are likely already upset that they need to call in the first place.
Being the point of contact for tech support can be challenging. However, with the right attitude and personality, this role can help the company achieve positive outcomes.
4. Sales Rep
Another common point of contact is a sales rep. This role typically involves interacting with customers and prospects to sell products or services.
As a business, you want to invest heavily in this point of contact, as it can make or break what comes into the company.
5. Account Manager
An account manager serves as the primary point of contact, managing the account and the relationship between the business and its customer. They assist customers with any needs they may have and proactively review their accounts to identify potential future requirements.
With account managers, customers can consistently reach out to the same person, building a relationship that fosters trust.
6. Social Media Manager
This point of contact is relatively new, as social media has grown significantly over the past few years. A social media manager is the person behind the screen who responds to messages on your social media account.
If you don’t have a social media manager yet, consider hiring one externally to manage your accounts. It’s an excellent point of contact for your company.
7. Project Manager
This point of contact manages projects and communicates with both the business and the customer to ensure smooth project execution.
It’s essential to understand the difference between this role and an account manager, just as you would between a lawyer and an attorney.
Read more: How to Know if Your Lawyer Is Selling You Out.
They sound similar, but they are different. An account manager manages an existing account, whereas a project manager focuses solely on a single project. Both may work with a client together, which is fine and recommended.
8. Business Development Manager
A business development manager will serve as the primary point of contact for new customers, establishing and maintaining their relationships.
This person will seek new clients and then onboard them with an account manager once they’re established.
6 Ways to Improve Point of Contact
As you can see, having a point of contact is essential to your company’s success. These roles will be highly customer-facing and involve direct interaction with customers.
If you already have these roles in place, one of the best things you can do is improve them and set them up for success.
1. Offer a centralized way for your point of contact to communicate
If you haven’t invested in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, now is the time to. A good CRM will let different roles on your team see who has spoken with a customer and where they stand in the sales pipeline.
Instead of reading through lengthy email chains or spending significant time on calls to understand what the customer needs and who has been speaking with them, a CRM lets them view everything from a single, centralized location.
Learn how to evaluate a CRM, as explored in the SmallBusinessHQ guide and make an informed decision.
2. Consider offering 24/7 availability for some of your points of contacts
Some roles you might consider having on-call 24/7 to provide additional service to your customers. Tech support and customer service representatives are significant roles that would thrive when available 24/7.
This allows greater flexibility for your customers and, of course, happier outcomes when issues are resolved faster than usual.
3. Offer multi-channel support
If your website is the only way customers and prospects can reach you, consider offering multi-channel support. By that, we mean offering additional avenues for customers to reach you, such as social media, automated chat features, and help desk ticketing systems to efficiently manage customer requests and support queries.
If you go this route, optimize your content for mobile viewing so you can provide your customers with the best content at all times.
4. Invest in training for your point of contact
Every job position needs training; that’s just a fact. However, for roles in your business that serve as the primary point of contact, you may want to consider additional training.
Learning empathy and how to use it in the workplace is an example of training that could make or break these roles.
5. Don’t shy away from automation
AI has its pros and cons. However, one of its pros is the automation features. If you’re looking for a way to expedite service or provide quick answers to commonly asked questions, consider using AI as chatbots.
Don’t let AI replace your point of contact; use it effectively in ways your customers will find helpful. That way, if automation cannot provide the answer they are looking for, they can be immediately connected with a point of contact.
6. Offer multilingual support
For your point-of-contact positions, consider hiring employees who speak additional languages. This will be extremely helpful for roles such as customer service, technical support, sales representatives, or any position that requires effective communication.
Clients will appreciate the added accessibility.
Final thoughts on the point of contact
A practical point of contact can be a game-changer for a business. If you can hire and invest in high-level point-of-contact positions, you can set yourself up for the next level of success.
Happy customers make for a thriving business, so give your customers and prospects excellent points of contact they can reach out to.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your website, let us help! Book a one-on-one coaching call for SEO training today!
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