Today, consumers are naturally inclined towards the digital experience, with 35% shopping more on apps, and 39% more on websites, compared to 2022. They see that digital channels are well established, and therefore want – and expect – effective and fast customer service operations.

However, a recent study by BT found reality is not living up to expectations. 89% of consumers reported organisations should make it easier to be contacted via phone, webchat, email, messaging and social media. Overall, the findings illustrate digital channels are not always working well for all customers, and help is required more frequently.  

With 69% of customers finding dealing with organisations around customer service issues frustrating, there is a need for further innovation within this space. This represents a significant opportunity for businesses to turn the tide and deliver meaningful interactions that build brand loyalty and differentiation.

Customers desire smart, proactive, and personalised interactions built around their choices, and backed by robust systems to deliver accurate, up-to-date responses. They want accessible information to enable self-servicing options, with the safety net that facilitates the seamless transition to a human agent at the first sign of difficulty; encapsulating a blend of digital and human interactions.

Fraud also remains front of mind for consumers, meaning security reassurance is vital for ensuring trust in your organisation’s digital channels. According to our findings, 80% of customers say fraudsters are getting better at deceptive emails and calls, and 69% agree it is difficult to tell a genuine text message from a fraudulent one. 

As a result, many businesses are challenged to keep pace with tighter customer expectations. But providing a twenty-four-hour customer service and access to a real person to speak to over the phone is costly, and unrealistic for businesses. Ultimately, customers desire a solution that enables them to shift between contact channels depending on the context of their query.

Businesses must adopt solutions that enable them to seamlessly manage two-way conversations with customers across multiple channels, stringent security measures, and a smooth transition from machine to human. Luckily, there are new, innovative ways to meet customers’ expectations with the help of BT Smart Messaging.

Forty-five per cent of consumers use some form of messaging app to contact organisations. Within WhatsApp, customer expectations are high, with 45% expecting a reply in under just two minutes - currently, only 28% are experiencing this. Paving the way forwards, to improve service expectations and overall customer satisfaction, businesses must put the power back in customers’ hands.

We do this by allowing customers to access information on their own terms. By shifting away from the ‘one size fits all’ approach towards customer service, businesses can reflect the way people communicate to drive engagement and deliver exceptional support.

To do so, beyond suppling the basics, businesses must provide information that enables customers to make better decisions across the entire customer journey, with easy access to human support when necessary. This is likely to translate to business growth as 80% of consumers buy more from organisations which offer excellent customer service.

For customers convenience is key; not receiving the right message via the right channel at the right time can lead to frustrations and a poor customer journey. This is where BT Smart Messaging can transform business customer services. With seamless integration and tailored content, Smart Messaging enables businesses to manage two-way conversations with customers across multiple channels, all via a single, cloud-based platform. Now, customers can communicate with businesses in a way that suits them - whether via SMS, Rich Communication Services, WhatsApp, Email, Facebook Messenger, Apple Messages for Business or an AI powered chatbot – making for a frictionless experience. 

Some of these richer communication channels allow businesses to differentiate themselves with branding logos and blue ticks for verification, different types of content, and various sorts of media to enhance and deliver marketing campaigns that drive results.

From a security perspective, verified business accounts and two-factor authentication are examples of how messaging can assist in the fight against fraud, offering a multi-layered approach to safeguarding sensitive information and protecting individuals, businesses, and online platforms. 

For any real-time queries or addressing immediate issues, AI powered chatbots are a solution speeding up response times and allowing customers to self-serve. The comprehensive data gained via these conversation threads enables human agents to gain insight into queries, knowing who the customer is, the context of the issue, and save the customer from repeating themselves. This simplifies interactions and offers a personalised experience.

Now, organisations can work to bridge the gap between businesses and consumers with secure, rich and personalised communications. This approach lets the customer engage with brands and businesses by choosing a channel to suit the task, emotional state and expected levels of human support of the moment, providing a more consistent high-end customer service. Ultimately, customers are empowered to access the information they need and engage with brands and businesses on their own terms. 

To find out more about how you can empower the autonomous customer, download our latest whitepaper on the autonomous customer.