In today’s fast-paced world, customer satisfaction is a critical factor in business success. Chris Gorman, Head of Professional Services at Esendex, stresses the importance of fast response times for customer satisfaction. Interestingly, however, 15 per cent of companies worldwide only use one method of communication. The results of an Esendex survey show that customers are particularly frustrated when problems are not resolved, when they have to wait too long for a response, or when they have to repeat themselves because the contact person changes.
People are looking for customer service support in a wide range of areas, whether it is for insurance queries, medical issues or troubleshooting technical problems with their home network. Companies are increasingly turning to self-service technologies to reduce costs. But does this affect the customer relationship? Studies show that anxious customers who use self-service technologies are sometimes dissatisfied, despite having achieved their goals. The ability to interact directly with an agent can reverse these negative effects. Providing multiple contact channels, and thus a balance between technology and human contact, is critical to an efficient and satisfying customer experience in customer service.
The “E3 formula” emphasises the importance of efficiency, expertise and emotional connection in customer service. The consumer study “The Relationship Economy: Customer Engagement in the Digital Era” by the customer engagement platform Twilio in collaboration with Oxford Professor Andrew Stephen from the Saïd Business School shows that 25 per cent of consumers worldwide prioritise efficiency, 24 per cent prioritise expertise and 25 per cent prioritise emotional connection. More personalisation is needed to meet individual needs and achieve a balance between digital and human support. Fast response times, helpfulness and a choice of contact options are cited as the most important criteria for good customer service.
Customer satisfaction is one of the most important metrics in companies, but customer service requirements are changing rapidly. Find out more now!
In addition to general trends in customer service, specific consumer preferences and behaviours are also important. According to the study, German consumers place particular importance on friendliness (42%), efficient service (39%) and the expertise of employees (31%) when re-engaging with a company. Interestingly, they consider digital and face-to-face communication to be equally effective (27%). According to the Esendex survey, global trends show that 38% of customers don’t want to wait more than five hours for a response, and 85% will switch to a competitor after a maximum of two negative experiences. It is also worth noting that 68% of customers share negative customer service experiences with friends. In light of these findings, recommendations for improving the customer experience include proactive customer communication, more self-service options and the introduction of new technologies.
The introduction of new technologies requires an initial investment, but in the long run they save valuable time, allowing agents to focus on more complex tasks and handle them more effectively. Offering multiple contact options is the first step towards a holistic approach to customer service.
A balanced use of technology and human contact is critical to providing customers with an efficient and satisfying experience. Personalisation enables a balance between digital and human support. Simply improving speed through automation is not enough. Investing in long-term customer relationship management and striking a balance between efficiency, emotion and expertise are critical to ensuring an optimal customer experience.
