Discover the importance of Points of Contact for your business, how to improve them, and strategies to enhance client satisfaction and streamline communication.
Clear communication is essential for business success, and the Point of Contact (POC) is at the heart of this. The POC is the person a client contact for information, support, or problem-solving. This role is key to building healthy relationships and meeting customer needs quickly and efficiently.
Understanding the POC role is critical for any company wanting to improve customer relationships and workflow. Have you been wondering how a POC can be helpful in your business? You’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll share everything you need to know about POCs, including:
Whether you’re a business owner, manager, or customer service professional, knowing how to manage and improve your POCs will lead to better customer satisfaction and business success.
Let’s dive in.
A Point of Contact (POC) is an organization's main point of contact between the business and its customers or stakeholders. Think of a POC as a brand ambassador for your company.
More than half of customers say it’s poor customer service if they need to explain problems to more than one person. That’s why your business needs a POC. This person (or team in some cases) manages client communication, answers questions, and resolves any problems for a client. The POC is the single point of reference for all customer needs.
POC roles and responsibilities can vary by industry and business but generally include:
Some businesses may refer to a POC as a single point of contact or SPOC.
No matter the industry, your company or team should have a designated POC who oversees communication to keep customers informed and satisfied.
POCs are found in many kinds of companies, with slight variations depending on the industry. Here are some examples of what a POC might look like.
Understanding the specific roles and responsibilities of POCs in different contexts helps businesses tailor their approach to meet the unique needs of their clients and industry.
A Point of Contact (POC) improves the quality of interaction between a business and its customers. Here are four benefits of a good POC.
The POC is an important ingredient in shaping the customer experience.
A dedicated POC gives customers consistent, timely, and personal responses, which gives the customer a good impression of the business.
For example, in a law firm, a client relations specialist who keeps clients up to date with case updates and answers questions can improve the customer experience and build trust.
Retail is similar. A dedicated store manager might handle customer queries and complaints, improving the shopping experience and increasing customer loyalty.
This is especially important in industries where clients are going to be spending a lot of money like hiring a lawyer or buying a house.
For example, Shaun from Eden Emerald Mortgages focuses on connecting clients with dedicated mortgage brokers that can deliver a personalized service to the client.
He also connects clients to a conveyancer that helps the client when the time for legal paperwork comes around. Having this personalized approach helps enhance the final customer experience.
POCs reduce the risk of miscommunication and mixed messages. This single point of truth means all information is clear and consistent, reducing the chance of mistakes or misunderstandings.
Take an example from project management.
Having a single project coordinator as the POC means all team members and clients get the same information and instructions. There’s no confusion and the project goals are met on time. Without a clear POC clients may get different information from different team members and the project will be delayed.
Having a POC helps build and maintain strong client relationships.
A contact person who answers needs promptly assures a customer they can trust the business. That trust translates to loyalty over time.
In the airline industry, a customer service POC who handles flight cancellations and delays efficiently can make a significant difference.
When a flight is delayed, the POC can offer immediate assistance with rebooking, compensation, and accommodation arrangements. This prompt and organized approach helps minimize the inconvenience for travelers and maintains their trust in the airline.
This is true to business that sell items online as well. Since customers often do not have a POC when purchasing items online, building trust is extremely important so that they feel comfortable ordering items from your website which includes using personal information of theirs like credit card details and their address.
Main Clinic Supply focuses on building trust by offering website visitors the option to call their helpline and speak directly to a specialist.
For people who are unable to speak on the phone, they also include a help button that allows you to leave a message so that customer support can get back to you via email.
By offering potential customers the ability to speak to an actual person, the company build trust with people who might have found them online and are on the fence about making a final purchase.
A key function of the POC is to resolve issues quickly and efficiently. Clients need a clear path to finding solutions when things go wrong and a POC is central to this. By resolving issues quickly and accurately a POC prevents small problems from getting out of hand and reduces client frustration.
A POC in the tech industry handles customer support tickets and software bugs or system outages can improve the user experience. By fixing technical issues quickly the POC ensures clients can return to using the software as soon as possible.
Growth as a POC requires best practices, ongoing development, and strategic use of technology.
How can you improve the POC role to serve your clients better and improve overall business performance? Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Dos:
Don’t:
Ongoing training and development is crucial for being an effective POC. Regularly update your training programs so your POCs have the latest skills and knowledge to do their job.
This can include:
Technology can help POCs be more efficient and effective. Using a CRM and other communication tools is non-negotiable if you want to keep up with your competition. Pen and paper just don’t cut it anymore.
You get a dose of reality when customers share what’s on their mind–and are honest about it. Don’t neglect their feedback. Take advantage of it, and make the changes necessary to grow.
Even if you take our suggestions for improving your POC productivity, the people in this role often encounter several significant challenges. These issues can impact their ability to deliver consistent and effective support.
Understanding these common problems and developing strategies to address them is crucial for optimizing client service so POCs can perform their roles effectively. Let’s quickly explore four challenges faced by POCs and offer practical solutions to enhance their performance and improve client satisfaction.
POCs sometimes get too many client requests. This workload can lead to burnout quickly. This can lead to delayed responses, errors, or forgetting about clients altogether.
Solution: Implementing case management systems helps POCs to prioritize tasks and manage workloads better. Automating routine questions can also take some pressure off POCs.
Another idea that works for some industries is to create a community support group where clients can ask each other questions and learn from each other.
Classical Guitar Shed does this for clients enrolled in their courses so that even when an instructor is not available to answer a question, students can rely on each other and also feel like a part of a like-minded community.
Google does something similar but on a much larger scale with the Google Search Help community.
POCs may have outdated or scattered information which can lead to inconsistent responses and misinformation.
Solution: Centralizing information in an updated knowledge base ensures POCs have the latest and most accurate information. Regular updates and training sessions can also keep POCs informed of changes.
Clients will reach out through different channels and if POCs can’t integrate those channels, it can lead to a fragmented client experience.
Solution: Adopting omnichannel communication platforms to consolidate interactions across different channels can help to keep the experience seamless for clients.
Frequent staff changes can break client relationships and service consistency.
Solution: Investing in employee engagement and development programs can reduce turnover. Offering competitive benefits and career growth opportunities can also retain staff.
POC is evolving as technology and customer expectations change.
AI and automation can be incredibly helpful with mundane tasks like answering basic questions and data management. This leaves POCs to focus on complex issues and personalized support. AI tools like chatbots can provide instant help. Human POCs are still needed for complex problems and building customer relationships.
Advanced data analytics is changing how POCs understand and respond to customer needs. By giving insights into customer behavior and preferences, analytics enables more targeted and effective interactions.
Omnichannel support is also growing, allowing POCs to manage customer interactions across many platforms—social media, email, and live chat.
However, a significant concern persists: RightNow’s Annual Research Shows nearly 80% of customers reported they were ignored after submitting a complaint online.
That shows us the answer isn’t more or better chatbots. Businesses need to balance technology with human touch. AI and automation can make workflows more efficient. But in an era of explosive AI growth, personal touch and human empathy from a POC still wins the day.
A strong POC can be a game-changer for delivering excellent client service and fostering meaningful relationships. By understanding the importance of POCs and addressing common challenges, your business can enhance client satisfaction across the board, leading to greater loyalty and better business.
Cliently can help you level up your customer engagement. Our tools enhance your point of contact by automating follow-ups, tracking client interactions, and providing insights to tailor communications. See what it can do for your business, and book a demo today.
