If your customer service reps are consistently helpful, knowledgeable and friendly, you will be ... [+]
There are two reasons your customer service is unforgettable: either it’s really good or it’s really bad.
Welcome to modern-day customer service, where, according to our annual customer service research (sponsored by RingCentral), 43% of customers would rather clean a toilet than call customer support.
Customers don’t want to call customer support. Perhaps something like this has happened to you. You make the call, wait on hold for an unreasonable amount of time, tell your story to a customer support rep who doesn’t have the expertise needed and transfers you to someone else, and in the process, accidentally disconnects you (UGH!), and when you call back, after another unreasonable hold time, you end up repeating your question to someone worse than the last rep. I can continue, but you get the idea. This is what customers fear will happen on their next call because, unfortunately, it’s happened to them too many times.
Of course, it’s not always like this. But you can’t ignore that customers’ expectations are higher than ever, which raises the bar for customer support. They have experienced what great service looks like from customer-focused organizations. They like it and become frustrated when they don’t get it from other companies.
I’m fortunate to be part of the board of advisors for CCW (Contact Center Week), the largest contact center organization in the world. The members of the board are the who’s who of CX leaders from recognizable brands you’ve done business with. The board’s conversations center around creating the best experience for customers. AI and other technologies are driving a better experience, but only for those companies willing to invest in them. The costs have come down, making it affordable for almost any size organization.
Many industries are improving, yet even with the best companies, there is always room for improvement. A key is to understand how customers think. For our research, we surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. consumers to understand what they think of today’s customer service and CX, including specific questions about their experiences with contact centers.
First, some general findings that should cause concern:
· In 2024, 91% of U.S. consumers think companies should put more emphasis on customer service than they have in the past.
· In the past year, 43% of customers say they have had more bad customer service experiences than in previous years.
· When calling customer support, 61% of customers feel that the company does not value their time.
Let’s drill down where customer service seems to matter most: the contact center. To begin, there is a shift to self-service support, often fueled by AI. With all the hype around AI and customer service, you think it would be better than it is, but it’s not, and for the simple reason that not all companies and brands have invested in newer technology. For those that have, they are reaping the benefits of great ratings. And some customers love self-service so much they won't do business with a company that doesn’t offer it. We asked about self-service versus making a phone call to a company for support and found that:
· A phone call is still the No. 1 communication channel. Seventy percent of customers prefer to call a company to solve a problem versus through a digital self-service experience.
· Some companies have chosen to eliminate the phone, only offering self-service solutions. There’s a risk to this, as 67% of customers would not feel comfortable doing business with a company that doesn’t offer live support.
· However, there is a small group of customers, 26%, who have stopped doing business with a company because self-service options weren’t offered. Many of these customers are younger Gen-Z and Millennials.
· Even if you have older customers, don’t let these numbers cause you to abandon self-service support. Over half (60%) of customers always try a company’s Frequently Asked Questions section on its website or other digital self-service options before calling for help. Typically, a customer goes to the company’s website to get the phone number. If there is an obvious way for them to try to get their question answered or problem resolved, a majority of customers will give it a try.
And once the customer does connect with a customer support agent, if the experience starts to “go south,” the result is an angry customer who won’t come back. The reasons are as follows:
· 81% of customers said rudeness or apathy would likely cause them to switch companies or leave a brand.
· 72% said being transferred to different people would cause them to not come back.
· 68% said having to repeat the same story again and again would cause them to leave.
· 51% said waiting on hold for too long would give them a reason to move on.
This sounds like the scenario toward the top of the article. Sometimes, the agent doesn’t even need to connect with a customer to make them become upset. Eight out of 10 U.S. consumers (79%) have called customer support, gotten an automated menu system, repeatedly yelled “Agent” or “Representative” into the phone and eventually hung up out of frustration.
But it’s not all gloom and doom for the customer service and the contact center world. Even though customers are not always happy to contact customer support, when it’s good they come back, tell their friends and write positive reviews. So, let’s close with some of the more positive findings:
· 85% of customers are willing to go out of their way to do business with a company that delivers a better service experience.
· 51% will pay more, indicating that a great service experience makes the price less relevant.
· Finally, the top three reasons customers come back are helpful, knowledgeable and friendly employees. (That’s all it takes? How hard is that?)
Well, although it sounds simple it’s not necessarily easy or easy to find. But now that you know the secret, it’s time to set some goals. I’ll add another word to those three for a truly winning combination: consistency. If your customer service reps are consistently helpful, knowledgeable and friendly, you will be unbeatable!
