For all of the internet's world-changing bravado and talks of disruption, it basically boils down to a digital communication tool.

What really makes the internet so special is its unfathomable reach. In 2014, the number of internet users in the world exceeded 3 billion, or approximately 40% of the entire population of the planet.

Through this vast network, made up of millions of smaller networks, users are able to exchange data in all of its forms to and from every corner of the planet. And, as our understanding of technology has increased, we’ve discovered new and ever-more imaginative ways to use this network of networks to further human advancement.

However, despite the unfathomable advances that the internet has made in the two decades since its arrival, perhaps its greatest strength still lies in its ability to connect people.

For businesses, this connectivity has opened up an entirely new world of customer service via peer-to-peer customer service support. "Crowdsourcing" enables consumers to share knowledge and collaborate with other consumers. With the ability to reach and work with current and potential customers, crowdsourcing can take some of the burden off of your company's customer support team.

However, the benefits don’t stop there; from a psychological standpoint, crowdsourced customer service makes your buyers feel more invested in your service or product, because it allows them to become part of a larger community that is willing to assist one another. A sense of intimacy that you wouldn't normally have with a company.

New customers are also often more receptive to information that they gain from people who have utilized a product but are not directly affiliated with it. As an added bonus, even paid crowdsourcing options are generally much more affordable than expanding your on-site customer service department. And, given that 81% of customers are more likely to give a company repeat business after experiencing good customer service, the issue is one that no business can afford to overlook.

How Does Crowdsourcing Customer Service Work?

Although it is definitely possible to provide some type of monetary compensation to experts or consumers who assist you with your customer service needs on a regular basis, it is also a viable option to get people involved of their own volition. In fact, many large businesses take advantage of this opportunity by providing online platforms that allow customers to assist each other.

This will not completely eliminate the need for a customer service support team, but it does give consumers the option to receive help more quickly from one of their peers or an answer from community experts available 24/7.

A quick visit to any of these major forums showcases just how popular they are. For example, the Apple Support Communities forum currently has more than 261,000 posts regarding the usage of iPads. Many of the questions posted in this forum revolve around bugs and sometimes be very technical. Nevertheless, Apple benefits from having such a large online community, because the vast majority of the questions are satisfactorily resolved without ever needing to involve the internal customer support team. If not, then it's also a great way to address glitches in their product.

And, customers who are able to get their issues satisfactorily resolved are likely to tell on average 4–6 people about their positive experience.

Advanced CRM systems can also help facilitate the crowdsourcing mentality. One such crowdsourcing platform is our Community Cloud which automatically groups users, employees, and partners into online communities where they can easily interact and troubleshoot, while also providing invaluable feedback.

At the same time, if makes access to any pertinent data, files, or information easy. And should any issues be encountered that are beyond the ability of a customer community to solve, users can easily connect with trained representatives. Together, these advantages all work towards the goal of eliminating negative customer experiences. Considering that it takes on average 12 positive customer experiences to make up for every single negative experience, this is certainly a goal worth pursuing.

Why Do Customers Prefer This Crowdsourced Customer Service?

One of the main factors responsible for the possible decline in consumer satisfaction is time. Most customers are perfectly understanding and forgiving when they encounter problems, but being forced to wait an inordinate amount of time while assorted customer service representatives direct and redirect them through various departments without resolution is often enough to erode the patience of even the most tolerant of people.

A recent survey indicates that 82 percent of consumers believe that receiving quick customer service is the most important factor in their interaction with any business. It is also important to note that the survey shows that poor customer service led to 62 percent of consumers worldwide making the decision to switch service providers in 2013. In other words, anything that your company can do to speed up the support process of answering questions for your customers will make them feel more satisfied and likelier to continue using services and purchasing products from your business.

Fortunately, crowdsourcing customer service platforms offers an easy solution. Rather than forcing customers to wait with an ear pressed against their telephone, suffering through distorted hold music with an intermittent recorded message telling them how much they value you as a customer. 

Instead, why not leverage your community online?  Many of these same customers call customer service because they don't know they have any other option. Most times, the customer can browse your forum for an answer to their question, usually by connecting with a community of experts and searching previous threads. Customers want to be there too: 91% of customers would use an online support center if it were available and tailored to their needs.

This is the main perk of building a large online support community: It encourages users to engage and become involved, not only in your business, but also in the community of users that grows around your business.

The Importance of Empowerment

Have you ever found yourself hesitating before finalizing a purchase? You've encountered this situation for a number of different reasons, but most of them boil down to one overarching problem: lack of information. Will the product live up to the promises made by its marketing teams? Will it last the test of time? Will it meet whatever personal expectations you may have for it?

Many consumers are hesitant to make certain purchases because they do not feel like they have the necessary knowledge to make an informed decision. And, often times, they are absolutely right; they don’t have enough information. This can be frustrating and intimidating for consumers, and it can also lead to an over-reliance on professional customer support teams, who—despite their training and familiarity with the product or service in question—are often unable to quickly and clearly understand and answer customer inquiries.

Minimize this problem by empowering your customers to reach out to other consumers online to get quick and easy answers to everything from technical problems to product recommendations. This will enable them to feel more empowered to make a good decision, and is also highly likely to improve their opinion of your company in general. After all, if you can help your customers find positive resolution, it doesn't matter whether that resolution came from a paid representative or a fellow user.

On the flip side, current users of your services or products who are able to share their knowledge with other customers will feel more involved, which can lead to an increased sense of satisfaction. On top of that, there's a positive association with helping a fellow user in your community.

Ultimately, giving your customers an outlet for sharing and receiving knowledge from each other is a solid way to take care of small issues without being forced to expand your customer service team. It can also help lead to consumers who are more passionate and engaged about the services and products that your business offers.

At the end of the day, modern business is all about the internet, and the internet is all about communication and connection. So, turn your attention towards the 3 billion potential customers who work and play across the web of networks. Give your customers the communities and forums they need to solve their problems, engage and connect with other customers.

Learn more about crowdsourcing platforms that will release the pressure off your customer service team. Download the FREE E-Book now or visit salesforce.com: