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Have you waited for what feels like hours to get a human response to a phone call, or found a chatbot that’s useless at answering a simple query?
Has the digital age put a greater distance between customers and businesses, making it time-consuming and disjointed to get answers to product or service questions? Or, has it improved customer service, allowing businesses to drive people efficiently to the correct answer without the need for detailed conversations with a human agent?
We will all have our own opinions on this, but what’s clear is that technology is now central to customer experience (CX) or user experience (UX) in any customer facing business.
CX matters more than ever
Strong customer service has never been more important. Tech-savvy and increasingly fickle consumers demand it, or they will vote with their feet (or fingers).
In fact, around 65% of consumers report increased customer service expectations, compared to 3-5 years ago.
As customer loyalty increases in direct proportion to the standard of CX provided, it’s no surprise that companies who place a high value on customer experience enjoy up to eight per cent higher revenue than those who don’t. Companies with poor CX lose customers, profits and potentially their reputation.
Better data and better CX and UX
One of the main ways technology has brought businesses and their customers closer is with the gathering of customer data, and the turning of that data into actionable insights. Companies have incredibly detailed insights into customer preferences, buying habits and even decision-making. This enables them to suggest or add value to purchases and provide highly tailored communications.
Visual exchanges
From the days of speaking to a faceless person on the phone – or grabbing the attention of an in-branch assistant – we have transitioned to multiple innovative ways to get customer information, including exchanging images and videos on smart technology.
This can be invaluable to settle complaints smoothly, but also to make customer advice personal and responsive.
Also, face-to-face liaison with customers using software like Zoom is increasingly welcomed, especially as it was so widely used during the pandemic.
Quicker response times
Setting aside the issues mentioned in the introduction, customer queries can be dealt with faster, using technology. There are times when AI-supported chatbots are ideal for quick help – especially out of office hours. Plus, many companies have integrated them with live customer service personnel to seamlessly handle more complex queries. Firing off a quick message to a company online – or via a messaging app or social media – can also stimulate a speedy or even instant personal response.
Self-service is the future
One of the ways customers have embraced technology as an alternative to dealing with customer service personnel is their enthusiastic reaction to self-service systems. The option to shop quickly and efficiently using contactless payment systems, in-store screens and automated tills is gaining ground.
There are even autonomous shops where you buy with no interaction at all – sensors and your smartphone do all the work. This can save costs and lower prices but can also increase the sense of frustration if there is a problem and nobody around to help you solve it. Companies are often judged on whether their investment in technology makes purchasing easier or cheaper, so make sure that any technology being employed in your customer service is adding value.