From cost center to profit center

Traditionally, many companies view customer service as a cost center - a place where resources are used to solve customer issues without directly contributing to the company's revenue. But what if customer service could become one of the company’s primary sales drivers? By combining excellent service with strategic upselling and cross-selling, customer service can be transformed into a profit-generating department that adds value to both customers and the company.

Sales in Customer Service - Upselling and cross-selling as strategic focus

When customer service becomes a sales-driven unit, it is essential to use every interaction to create value. Customer service agents often have a unique understanding of customer needs, making them ideal for recommending additional products and services. By offering relevant upsells and cross-sells, agents can help customers get the most out of their purchases, while simultaneously boosting company revenue.

For example, an agent assisting a customer with a product replacement could suggest a related cleaning product or an additional component to enhance the product’s performance - or even a blouse that matches the pants the customer originally bought and called in to exchange for a different size. While these sales may often be smaller items, they can accumulate quickly and make a substantial impact on the bottom line.

It’s also crucial to train agents in service-based selling. Encourage them to use their expertise by telling customers something like, "In my experience, if you add this product, you’ll get much more out of your purchase." This approach is powerful and convincing for customers, as they value insights from an expert within the company.

Optimized processes and systems drive efficiency

To ensure a sales focus in customer service is successful, it’s crucial that processes are optimized and supported by the right systems. A smooth, integrated solution removes friction and allows agents to focus on customers without being bogged down by complex workflows.

At Infinite Hooray, for example, we implemented a solution for a client by fully integrating Zendesk with their ERP and payment systems. When an agent makes a sale during a conversation with the customer, they can simply enter the item number and quantity into a custom Zendesk extension we developed. The system instantly checks stock status, and the order is automatically transferred to the company’s ERP system (in this case, MS Dynamics). At the same time, an order confirmation and payment link are sent to the customer via email. Once the customer enters their credit card information through the secure link provided by the payment provider, the order is sent to the warehouse, where it is packed and released, and the payment is processed. The customer then receives an invoice via email, and typically, the item arrives the next day. This setup means sales in customer service don’t require additional manual work, streamlining operations for both customer service and logistics teams while providing a seamless experience for customers.

Motivating employees with incentives

With efficient processes and systems in place, customer service teams can start working more purposefully with sales. To motivate agents to combine service with sales, incentive programs can be an effective solution. For instance, an incentive program can reward employees who achieve specific goals, such as reaching a high CSAT score, handling a certain number of tickets, and generating sales revenue through upselling.

Incentives can take the form of bonuses, additional vacation days, or other recognition that inspires agents to perform at their best. By integrating sales targets into the daily routines of customer service, the company provides an extra motivational factor for employees, which can result in increased job satisfaction and engagement.

Data-driven insights optimize sales efforts

With full system integration and data collection from customer interactions, customer service can develop targeted strategies based on actual customer needs. By analyzing patterns in interactions, companies can identify the most effective upsell and cross-sell products and determine which processes best support sales efforts.

Data-driven insights make it possible to fine-tune and improve sales efforts over time, strengthening the department’s position as a profit center. This approach also enables customer service managers to justify additional resources during budget rounds, resources that can directly contribute to a better customer experience and a stronger bottom line.

The benefits of transforming Customer Service into a profit center

When customer service shifts from being a cost center to a profit center, the company gains multiple benefits:

• Increased revenue and profit: Through upselling and cross-selling, customer service can become a valuable source of revenue that directly strengthens the company’s sales and profit margins.

• Automatic resource allocation: Instead of constantly fighting for extra budgets, customer service can gain resources as a natural consequence of its revenue generation.

• Improved employee motivation: When agents have incentives to provide both service and sales, their engagement and job satisfaction increase, creating a positive dynamic across the department.

• Enhanced customer experience: A well-organized, proactive customer service team that understands customer needs and can offer solutions directly creates a better, more personalized customer experience. This often leads to higher customer loyalty and repeat purchases.

Unlocking the potential of Customer Service

Customer service can be so much more than a cost. By focusing on sales through upselling and cross-selling, optimizing processes, and motivating employees, customer service can become an essential driver of a company’s financial success. With a well-integrated solution that automates and streamlines the sales process, it becomes both easy and efficient for customer service to contribute to the bottom line. With the right approach, customer service can add value that goes far beyond traditional support and become a vital part of the company’s growth strategy.