Over the past decade, customer engagement with companies has drastically changed. Today’s customers no longer want to rely on traditional phone systems for support – they expect businesses to meet them where they are and communicate in their preferred channels.
They seek engagement channels that deliver maximum ease, agility, and expedited service.
To further emphasize this point, a staggering 64% of customers maintain that they would opt to message businesses rather than call them.
As a consequence, more companies are tapping into the immense power of messaging apps such as Google Business Messages to optimize their customer service.
But what advantages come with utilizing this channel? What strategies should be employed when conversing with customers through it? In this article, we address these questions and provide actionable insights you can use.
We’ll go through:
- What is Google Business Messages?
- Using Google Business for messaging and boosting your business
- How to respond to Google Business Messages
What are Google Business Messages?
Google Business Messages offers an effortless and convenient experience for your customers to get in touch. All they need to do is click the messenger icon on their Google Business profile listing—no more leaving search engine results or rummaging through websites for contact information! This digital communication platform allows users to instantly message you directly via your organization’s Google Business listing, making it fast and easy.
Customers can quickly and easily connect with your business or contact center at any hour of the day through this convenient feature. Not only is it available on Google Search results, but also on Google Maps, reducing the need for multiple digital touchpoints while maximizing convenience for customers.
Using Google Business for messaging and boosting your business
With Google Business Messages, customers can effortlessly engage with your business from the very beginning of their digital journey.
And this is just one of its perks.
Here are some benefits of using messages on Google Business:
1. Stay connected to customers with ease.
Utilizing Google Business for messaging allows customers to quickly connect with you without visiting your website. This smoother transition from a Google search to an immediate interaction optimizes the user experience, removing any obstacles that might delay them in their time of need. Moreover, this helps minimize effort on behalf of customers while simultaneously maximizing efficiency and convenience.
2. Harness the power of Google’s expansive reach
Google has a truly remarkable influence on the internet, as it is currently used by 91.9% of all search engine users and is arguably one of the most visited websites worldwide.
Google’s immense power is evident from the sheer number of searches it handles on any given day – a whopping 8.5 billion! We are so accustomed to relying upon Google for nearly every query, that we don’t think twice about turning there first when in need of information or certain services.
It’s no secret that Google is the go-to platform for many searches related to businesses or products, with an astounding 46% of all product searches beginning there.
Additionally, the popularity of local businesses on mobile has skyrocketed by a whopping 250% since 2017.
Unlock the power of Google, and give yourself access to a plethora of potential customers who are searching for your services through Business Messages. Make sure you don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity; take advantage today!
3. Enjoy more efficiency and automation
Google Business Messages provides round-the-clock assistance with an innovative customer service chatbot. This bot can be programmed to send welcoming messages and reply to basic inquiries, as well as hand off more complex issues over to a human representative. Utilizing this technology allows you to create efficient customer support that is available 24/7!
4. Accommodate your customers’ whereabouts
One of the most astute advantages of utilizing Google Business is its ability to detect a customer’s area through Place IDs. This means that if your enterprise has physical sites scattered across different locations, clients can easily be directed to the branch nearest them and connect with an agent from there.
With this inventive feature, customers can obtain answers to venue-specific queries quickly and efficiently. It is especially beneficial for the following use case scenarios:
- Shopping at a retail chain has never been easier! With the ability to connect with in-store associates, customers can now inquire about stock availability, store hours, and even returning items. Plus, shoppers have access to virtual shopping experiences that make it possible for them to conveniently purchase their desired products from the comfort of their own homes.
- Connect with your nearest restaurants and hotels via the travel & hospitality platform. Make booking inquiries, and find out more about daily specials, accessibility features, and other facilities quickly and easily! With this service, you can make sure that all of your needs are taken care of before you even arrive at the venue.
- With just a few clicks, customers can connect with their local automotive dealership and get answers to all their questions from an on-site expert.
By harnessing location-specific contact, you can connect with your customers on a deeper level and provide them with the personalized solutions they’re searching for.
5. Enhance customer service and create memorable experiences
Harness the power of Google Business Messages to create a customer service revolution in your organization. Streamline the customer journey with this easy-to-use tool and improve both speed and convenience, no matter where customers are based. Not only that, but through its personalized touches delivered within an excellent digital experience, you could make 86% of consumers willing to pay more for better service!
Respond to Google Business Messages (the best way)
With Google Business Messages, your organization, customers, and contact center can reap countless benefits. To maximize these advantages to the fullest potential though, ensure you follow the best practices outlined below.
1. Set up welcome messages
Make a positive first impression on potential customers by creating an instant welcome message that appears as soon they click your Google Business Listing’s messaging icon. With this initial greeting, you have the chance to express appreciation for their contacting you and ask what kind of assistance they need. Make sure your tone is friendly yet professional – it will be the very first thing potential customers see when trying to talk with you!
Your welcome message can be adjusted or established in your Business Profile settings whenever you like, providing essential information such as store hours, links to frequently asked questions, and an estimation of the response time.
2. Provide fast responses
To ensure an exceptional customer experience, it is paramount that you respond promptly to inquiries. About 75% of customers deem a prompt response as the key factor in digital service excellence.
Google suggests a response time of 24 hours or less for customer inquiries. When customers search your business and access its Google listing, they’ll find an indicator on the profile that displays how quickly you reply to such queries. Your responsiveness will be reflected as one of these statements:
- Usually responds in a few minutes
- Usually responds in a few hours
- Usually responds in a day
- Usually responds in a few days
Ignoring or taking too long to answer messages will result in a severe consequence – Google removing the Message button from your listing. Furthermore, you may gain a reputation for unsatisfactory customer service if you neglect communication with your patrons. For this reason, it is imperative that agents monitor and reply to all incoming messages expeditiously.
3. Maximize the potential of your content by incorporating rich media elements into it!
Google Business messaging provides more than just the ability to exchange text – you can also share multimedia like images or videos. Companies that leverage these visual elements in their messages have experienced a higher response rate, as they are more engaging and elicit an emotional reaction from the receiver. This is especially true when attempting to communicate complex information effectively while providing a customizable experience for customers. Images/videos serve not only as powerful marketing tools but also assist in avoiding any confusion between the sender and receiver by offering insight into products or services offered quickly and clearly.
4. Effectively tailor messages to your audience for maximum impact.
When responding to customer inquiries, make sure you are addressing their specific issue and that all message content is relevant. For instance, don’t go off on a tangent about new products if the customer only requires an update on their order status. Keeping your messages clear and succinct will guarantee that customers receive prompt attention with effective results.
5. It is highly inadvisable to solicit any kind of sensitive information from your customers.
To protect customer privacy, it is essential to abide by Google Business Messages Guidelines and avoid exchanging any sensitive data such as credit card numbers or login credentials in messages. For situations that necessitate these details, be sure to switch the dialogue over to a more secure channel first and clearly explain why this step is necessary.
6. If need be, take the conversation to a higher level
If a customer inquiry is outside of the scope of your Google business messaging, don’t fret! You can use an omnidirectional approach to direct them to your website for more suitable support such as web calls or video chat. This way, customers receive specialized care that caters most closely to their needs and preferences.
How to Reply to Google My Business Messages (Quick Steps)
Effectively connecting with your target customers is essential. You need your message to be clear, detailed, and of value to your customers, especially those who find you on Google through your on Google My Business listing.
You can also reply to your customers directly through Google My Business messages. And here’s how to do it.
Learn How to Reply to Messages on Google My Business
Want to start responding immediately to all of your customer messages on Google My Business? You can easily do so using the five simple steps outlined in this blog. Plus, you don’t need a laptop; just download and use the fully-compatible Google My Business App for optimal convenience!
Replying to Google My Business Messages Using the GMB App
Google My Business is dedicated to making life easier for businesses, and their Messages feature is no exception! All you need to do is download the app and follow these five simple steps:
Step 1: Open Your Profile in the GMB App
Step 2: Select “Customers”
Step 3: Click “Messages”
Step 4: Click on a Message to view it
Step 5: Send Your Response
How to Know When You Receive a GMB Message
With Google My Business Messages, you’ll get a notification on your phone just like all the other messages you receive! Make sure to check and adjust the settings of your device so that whenever there’s an incoming message, it will be presented with visuals (like a banner or pop-up), sound, or both.
An immense advantage of using the GMB App to get customer messages is that anyone with access and logged into the App on their phone will receive notifications! This makes it simple for you to give all your business managers access to the GMB account, so there’s always someone available promptly responding.
Pro Tip
Answer Messages Immediately. When individuals message you, they anticipate a reaction that is as fast as if they were texting a friend. Ensure you stay mindful of your phone for notifications about emerging messages and answer them promptly!
Keep in Contact with Your Customers
Establishing and maintaining relationships with your customers is now more vital than ever before; don’t let a rival take the lead by utilizing GMB Messages prior to you. Make sure not to be left behind when it comes to keeping up-to-date on the latest customer contact technology!
Conclusion
Google Business Messages is the perfect tool to amplify your customer service strategy. You can meet and serve customers at any point in their journey with sheer convenience and ease. Not only that, but you’ll have access to the biggest search engine – Google! On top of everything else, it’s highly versatile so you can use it for various purposes.
Whether you are running a large contact center or an in-store associate within your chain of branches, this article will provide the ideal strategies to foster stronger customer relationships and enjoy all the associated benefits. By leveraging these best practices, you can certainly maximize every opportunity for success!
