How Stampli Exceeds SaaS Customer Service Expectations
As technology improves, my customer service expectations are higher.
You probably feel the same way.
With technology, businesses can do far more work in less time, and with fewer errors. Netflix has a complete history of everything I’ve watched, and Amazon has metrics on all the items I order. It’s no surprise that both firms can easily make recommendations, using the knowledge base both firms develop, and the new features meet customer needs.
The result?
Customer feedback is better, and users have fewer pain points when using the product. Customer retention is higher, churn is lower
If I have a problem, companies should be able to identify the issue and resolve it quickly, because all of the data is right in front of them.
Right?
Most people seem to agree. Forrester’s 2023 Customer Experience Planning Guide explains that customer expectations continue to rise, regardless of what’s going on in the economy. Better tech means that customers expect more.
Well, the fact is that poor customer service still happens, and customers have far less patience with a bad experience. As a business owner, I can’t afford to work with vendors who provide a low level of customer service.
And if the company is a SaaS business, I’ve got lots of choices. The customer service team better be good, or the churn rate will go up. If vendors don’t provide a great experience and resolve problems quickly, it puts my business model at risk.
It’s that simple.
Read on to learn what clients expect from SaaS companies and their customer service teams, the frustrations of customer support, and how Stampli delivers the highest level of customer satisfaction in AP Automation.
In case you’re not familiar with Stampli, you should know that it’s a complete accounts payable (AP) Automation platform that brings together accounts payable communications, documentation, and payments in one place. Using Stampli gives me full control and visibility over corporate spending.
SaaS Usage is Growing
SaaS product usage is rapidly expanding.
Gartner reports that “Cloud computing will continue to be a bastion of safety and innovation, supporting growth during uncertain times due to its agile, elastic and scalable nature.” Spending on SaaS is growing from $146 billion in 2021 to an estimated $195 billion in 2023.
Also from Gartner: “SaaS makes up the largest share of the cloud service market and more than 50% of the overall software market. This share is only expected to increase in the future.”
I use a number of SaaS platforms, and I know that leveraging technology can help me serve customers better and allows me to scale my business. However, there are some frustrations along the customer journey that I’d like to avoid.
Customer Service Frustrations
I own and operate Prestige Furniture, and we produce high-end, customized furniture for clients in the US and Canada. Customers find us through our website, and we generate referrals from architects, builders, and interior designers.
My company is growing rapidly, and I’m investing in new technology to keep up (it’s a nice problem to have). I use NetSuite’s ERP, and I started using an AP Automation platform about 6 months ago. I’ll refer to the AP Automation provider as “the Vendor”.
It’s not working out, and a big part of the problem is customer service. Here are some of the issues.
Lack of availability
When I contact customer support, the wait times are too long. Sure, my AP staff can do other work while on hold, but long wait times impact productivity. If a team member is reviewing a detailed report, they don’t want to be interrupted when customer service finally picks up the call. Starting and stopping a task leads to more errors, and I need better customer engagement.
Level of expertise
I need customer service people who understand accounts payable, so I can get problems resolved quickly.
Here’s an example: Prestige orders 60 cabinet knobs from Acme Supply on March 1st, and Acme partially fills the order by sending 45 knobs on March 10th. Our typical response is:
- Generate a new purchase order and invoice for the 45 knobs
- Move the 45-knob invoice through the approval process and pay the invoice
- Generate a second purchase order and invoice for the remaining 15 knobs
If AP has a problem using the Vendor’s software to generate the new invoices, the person on the line needs to understand how our business handles partial shipments and partial payments. We don’t wait to pay the vendor until the entire shipment is received, and an experienced AP professional can understand the process.
I’d have more customer loyalty if the person on the line fully understood my business. That seems reasonable to me, and would reduce the risk of customer churn.
Resolving problems take too long
Getting someone on the line quickly who understands AP is only half the battle. I need problems resolved quickly, so that I can maintain a good customer relationship with clients and suppliers.
Go back to the partial shipment/ partial payment example. My AP team needs the ability to document how the shipment is handled, so that all stakeholders (coders, approvers, suppliers) understand the transaction. When Acme Supply receives payment for 45 knobs, they need to understand that new invoices were issued, and that Prestige is waiting for the remainder of the order.
OK, assume that my AP staff contacts the Vendor and asks for a method to better document this activity. How long do we have to wait for a solution?
The longer we wait, the more risk that poor documentation will confuse our supplier and damage the relationship. I need professionals who will work quickly on the problem, and who keep my team informed on progress.
Look at it this way: How valuable are great customer service agents, a responsive help desk, and a well-written FAQ page? If you can deliver that much value, your customer satisfaction scores will greatly increase.
I have to admit that recent economic challenges have made it difficult to maintain a great customer service experience. Sales decline, budgets are cut, and some firms may reduce their customer support team investment.
I’ve had some recent SaaS customer service frustrations, because the person helping me didn’t have a base of knowledge to resolve the customer request. Is the business committed to my success?
I have to wonder…
Stampli’s Customer Success team is the best in the AP Automation category.
Support from Stampli’s AP Professionals
Think about AP Automation situations that require immediate attention:
- Managing high invoice volume: A retailer is processing a high volume of invoices as it prepares for a busy holiday season.
- Changing procedures: The CFO asks the AP team to add additional coding to invoices, so that management can generate reports by company division.
- Providing audit trail data: Your CPA firm is performing the annual audit, and you need help generating accounts payable reports for the auditors.
In each case, your AP team needs immediate help from an AP expert who can quickly provide answers. Users contact Stampli’s customer success team by phone, email, or through chat, and the team maintains a fast response rate. Problem with partial invoices or partial shipments? You can speak with an experienced AP professional who can resolve your issues.
Now, I know you’re wondering… what about setup time? Will using the AP platform require months to implement?
Far from it.
Get started with AP Automation in days — not months — as the Customer Success team guides you through a fast and easy setup process, and Stampli experts work with many ERP integrations. Stampli offers the fastest setup in the industry with unlimited, ongoing support in the form of an on-demand AP professional. Their experts support your business from implementation, to onboarding, training, and beyond.
The results speak for themselves.
Stampli is rated #1 in Customer Satisfaction in the AP Automation category on G2’s Winter 2023 report. Managing your business is challenging, and you need reliable partners to manage your operation. Automate your AP process with confidence using Stampli.
