What is customer service, and why is it so important?
Customer service is the support you offer your customers throughout the customer journey. These interactions stretch from the first moment they contact your business to the months and years afterward.
It’s important because an adept support structure improves your CX, boosts customer retention, and can help build new business. In fact, according to Zendesk Benchmark data, 3 in 4 consumers will spend more with businesses that provide a good CX— showing just how important excellent customer service is.
Businesses need variety in their customer service capabilities.They need to be available via their website, phone, email, social media, an more—and with all these different mediums, it can become overwhelming.
In this article, we cover the 10 most important types of customer service. We explain how to approach each support channel and deliver an outstanding customer experience (CX) regardless of how you connect with your customers.
More in this guide:
Why do you need different types of customer service?
The 10 types of customer service
Frequently asked questions
Excel in every type of customer service with Zendesk
Why do you need different types of customer service?
You need different types of customer service because your customers aren’t all the same. Some people prefer to call your service line when they have a problem, and others want to use your website’s messaging services. It’s important to be flexible and engage in different methods of customer communication.
Why do you need different types of customer service?
You need different types of customer service because your customers aren’t all the same. Some people prefer to call your service line when they have a problem, and others want to use your website’s messaging services. It’s important to be flexible and engage in different methods of customer communication.
Delivering good customer service can be difficult, and that task becomes even harder when you’re balancing customer needs and business demands. AI-powered support uses automation to serve your customers better, lend your agents a helping hand, reduce support operational costs, and more.
Overall, AI-powered support can create more efficient agents and faster customer experiences across all consumer touchpoints.
2. Omnichannel support
Your customers want to connect with your business on the channels they use most, whether your website, support line, or social media platforms.Omnichannel customer service connects conversations from channel to channel without losing conversation history or context.
For example, a customer may first reach out to your customer service team over email but then want to finish the conversation over the phone. Omnichannel support can accomplish that—and when the interaction switches to the phone, the support rep can access all of the customer’s information so they don’t have to repeat themselves.
3. In-person support
Even in a digital-first world, people love to shop in person and like to interact with the things they’re buying. Brands need to set themselves up to be flexible and embrace digital customer service—and that starts with connecting the dots between online, mobile, and in-store visits.
Consider connecting your processes so customers can order online and pick up in-store. An extra human touch at the end of the transaction might mean all the difference for a good CX.
4. Phone support
A phone conversation remains a powerful way to solve problems, even in the age of emails and social media DMs. When customers get help over the phone, personalized customer service becomes possible and can resolve complex issues faster.
Customer service phone software helps you better understand how to staff, how many calls support agents take, and how to compare ticket volume between channels.
Millions of individuals and brands are on social media—you should have a presence there too. Using social media customer service software can turn posts and DMs into support tickets.
7. Messaging and live chat support
Messaging and live chat provide instant support. While both are conversational, there are differences:
Traditional live chat connects customers on your website or app but cannot save conversation history.
Messaging allows saving and transferring conversations across devices and platforms.
Point of purchase support involves using chatbots or direct communication to resolve last-minute concerns about shipping, pricing, or product info. This ensures a smoother transition from visitor to customer, creating a strong start to your customer relationship.
Frequently asked questions
There are many variables in a good customer service strategy, but the four basics are that it is:
Personalized
Empathetic
Fast
Solves the customer’s problem completely
Besides that, be sure to engage in customer service management (CSM) to ensure your team is capable of delivering those basics of customer service and more.
There are many types of customer service, and you should adopt the method that makes sense for your customers. For example, if your customers frequently call when they have questions, you should focus on phone support. Or, if they connect with you over social media, live chat, and email, you may want to adopt an omnichannel approach.
Excel in every type of customer service with Zendesk
Your customers can contact you over a variety of channels, be it a phone call, an email, or a DM on social media. Despite all the options, the best type of customer service is service that consistently meets customer expectations—regardless of the channel. Zendesk offers omnichannel customer service software to help you create fast and personalized customer support experiences—whether through an AI assistant or a human agent.
Mozhdeh Rastegar-Panah
Senior Director, Product Marketing
Mozhdeh Rastegar-Panah is a seasoned customer experience leader and the Senior Director of Product Marketing at Zendesk. With over 12 years at the forefront of customer service innovation, Mozhdeh specializes in translating complex AI and CX technologies into impactful, scalable solutions for global businesses. Her work focuses on elevating customer support through messaging, automation, and omnichannel strategies. She brings a unique blend of strategic vision and hands-on expertise to the future of customer service.
Prepare for the future of CX
Download the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report to learn about crucial types of customer service for this year and beyond.
