There’s plenty of buzz around virtual assistants, mobile apps and social networks. And for good reason: These innovative tools help companies deliver fast and personalized service to their customers across multiple channels.
But when it comes to engaging customers, many companies mistakenly overlook the power of website, in-person and email interactions. Although not as sexy as chatbots, apps and Twitter feeds, a simple telephone session can serve as one of the most effective customer service and purchasing channels. So what’s driving brands from age-old customer service platforms to more cutting-edge technologies? In today’s omni-channel world, many organizations are looking for new and innovative ways to connect with customers. In fact, according to a Forbes Insights and Pegasystems survey, 89% of leading companies are more likely to rate omni-channel as effective customer engagement, and plan to invest in omni-channel service tools.
Then there’s the lure of technological advancement. A whopping 94% of leading companies have invested in new technology to improve their overall understanding of customers in the past 12 months. Of these new technologies, 75% rely on chatbots/virtual assistants, 73% on video-based support and 58% on social media management. And more than half—56%—of leaders have invested in artificial intelligence to personalize and continuously learn from customer interactions.
What Customers Really Want
While these technologies are transforming the way enterprises drive greater engagement across the entire customer journey, they can be tone-deaf to customer needs. As competition mounts, companies must understand customers and engage with them at the right time, in the right way, with the right message. But that also requires engaging them with the right tools.
Consider this: Only 20% of consumers prefer chat-based customer service, and 80% still want a live human typing on the other end, according to Pegasystems’ survey on artificial intelligence. In fact, a Pegasystems consumer engagement survey reveals that more than half—64%—of customers that already have a relationship with a brand prefer in-person interactions as a method of interacting with a company when shopping for products or services. Fifty-nine percent prefer a company website, 43% email and 29% telephone. That compares with a mere 18% of customers who prefer interacting via social networks like Twitter and Instagram, and 13% via virtual assistants.
When asked about the preferred method of interacting with a company when needing customer service for a purchased product or service, traditional channels won out, including email (58%), telephone (49%), in-store interactions (43%) and a company’s website (44%). That’s in stark contrast to options such as personal assistants/chatbots (16%) and social networks (7%).
Closing The Delivery Gap
To bridge this divide between what companies can deliver and what customers really want, brands must embrace a back-to-basics approach to supporting customers. That’s not to suggest they let mobile apps and social platforms fall by the wayside. After all, these innovative tools are critical elements of any customer engagement strategy.
Instead, companies must recognize that customer engagement will not lead to positive business outcomes unless it’s done in a way that customers find welcome and useful. These days, customers crave an easy, organic experience that doesn’t require any heavy lifting. For example, in the case of a live customer support call, the onus is on an agent to provide fast and accurate answers to pressing questions. An automated phone system, on the other hand, requires a caller to navigate a web of prompts, enter account details and recall passwords. No wonder 61% of customers cite human contact as an effective means of communicating with a company. They simply want to avoid cumbersome and time-consuming processes.
The lesson for companies: Be sure to strike a balance between technology innovation and meaningful engagement to simplify customer experiences and drive revenue.
To learn more, download “The New Rules of Engagement: How Leading Companies Are Connecting With Customers to Drive Greater Growth.”
