Customer Service Trends to Watch Out for in 2018
It’s no surprise that effective customer service practices continue to change with advancements in the digital sphere and general consumer interaction. According to the Fyre Festival, some important trends found in 2017 include “keeping your word with customers” and “the importance of putting customers ahead of profits.” Although it seems obvious, it’s shocking how many organizations fail to implement these practices to their consumer base. Forbes found that “a total of $62 billion was lost in 2017 due to poor customer service.” Listed below are some major trends to look out for in 2018 that could change the scope of customer service.
The Balance of Human and Automated Interaction
The use of automated interaction is becoming a common trend in the customer service world. However, many consumers still desire human interaction. In a survey conducted by Startek, they discovered that “85 percent of survey respondents said they prefer a customer service representative versus a chatbot/AI or IVR experience.” In other words, customers still appreciate human interaction and it’s critical for companies to figure out the right balance between automated and human communication.
Enhanced Personalization
Consumers still appreciate personalization, therefore it’s crucial for organizations to continue this trend and make sure their customers feel important at all times. An article from Business 2 Community explains the importance of incorporating data with personalization through “emotion-tracking technology” and “customer data consolidation.” In essence, these are tactics that use data to analyze “customer emotions” and “touch points” to provide a comprehensive view of the customer experience and how to effectively personalize each interaction.
Cloud Technologies
The use of cloud technologies in regards to customer service appears to be expanding in 2018. Use of the cloud helps businesses eliminate financial or resource constraints that were evident before. Business 2 Community states that “cloud technologies eliminate premise based systems, which gives organizations better access to a broader set of technologies like workforce management and speech analytics.” Ultimately, leveraging cloud technologies will give companies the ability to improve both the organizational and customer experiences.
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