Digital dealings are harder than they should be
Many consumers are unhappy with current digital customer support experiences. Of those we asked:
69%
find dealing with organisations on customer service issues tiring and exhausting
89%
believe organisations should make it easier to contact them by phone, webchat, email, messaging and social media
78%
say it often takes too long to get through to an advisor
40%
say something often goes wrong when they use online self-service
Brands need to make digital interactions easy
When choosing which brands to buy from, 57% of consumers say convenience and quality of service are more important than price.
Growing fraud fears and experiences need better support
Fraud is now front of mind for many consumers, and it’s creating uncertainty about digital channels. Organisations need to understand the impact of fraud on their customers and the current levels of alarm.
Increasing attacks
41% of respondents say they have experienced some type of fraud scare or event.
Growing sophistication
69% of consumers now say it’s difficult to tell a genuine message from a fraudulent one.
Inefficient fraud reporting
61% of respondents say it’s difficult to contact organisations to resolve the issue.
Fraud needs greater priority
80% of customers say organisations should be prioritising fraud reports.
Giving customers control improves service perceptions
An effective way to reduce customer frustration and negative brand perception is to increase the levels of agency customers feel they have.
These three key focuses can have a significant impact on their satisfaction:
1. Proactive communications
Customers welcome proactive communication via lower-cost channels like email or text message.
2. Increased transparency around waiting times
Customers value information that enables them to decide whether it’s worth waiting or calling back later.
3. Focus on the person behind the technology
Organisations need to avoid locking out their less digitally savvy customers and make it easy for others to communicate on their behalf.
AI has yet to fulfil its potential to improve customer service
Chatbots currently represent the frontline of AI in the digital customer service environment. But even though consumers believe chatbots have a function within customer service, it’s currently a limited one. Of the consumers we polled:
70%
agree that bad chatbots damage an organisation’s brand reputation
71%
say that chatbots provide information that is too generic
74%
say that chatbots often suggest solutions that they’ve already tried
79%
want real human agents to check the more complicated responses of chatbots
A final thought: humans still need humans
For all our technological advancement, human interactions still remain at the heart of customer contact. Today, when digital channels don’t fulfil their potential and customers are frustrated or in crisis, customers immediately want to deal with a person.
In 2023, organisations have many of the ingredients for outstanding customer service – they’ve just yet to find the right balance that will unlock the value of their existing technologies.
We can work with you to find that balance, combining the latest technologies with human support to create a next-generation customer service in your contact centre.
