Dive Brief:
- Seven in 10 consumers say they find customer service interactions either as stressful or more stressful than the problem they’re trying to solve, according to a survey of 1,000 people by Zingly.ai and Dynata released last month.
- Another two-thirds of respondents say they hesitate to contact customer service due to expected long hold times, and 45% say they’ve abandoned calls due to waiting more than 30 minutes.
- Companies that fail to get customer service right can suffer lost business. Nearly two-thirds of consumers say they’ll switch brands after one bad experience, according to the survey.
Dive Insight:
Customer service is at its best when resolutions come quickly, but the journey won’t be the same for every caller.
Live agents play an important role in efficient resolution, according to Patrick Quinlan, senior director analyst at Gartner. Proper workforce management goes a long way to ensuring live agents are available as needed, but leaders can take additional steps.
Agent-facing AI assistants can further improve efficiency, particularly for newer agents, according to Quinlan. These tools help live agents understand the context of calls and offer guidance that can help them resolve issues.
“In short, agents need relevant information at their fingertips, in a single pane of glass, rather than having to search multiple systems for answers,” Quinlan told CX Dive in an email.
Putting AI in front of agents, rather than callers, can help ensure customers feel they are getting the help they need. Three in 5 customers say phone calls with human agents is their most trusted channel, while about one-third want in-person support, according to the Zingly survey.
However, there is still a time and a place for AI-powered customer service. Some consumers prefer self-service resolution, particularly younger generations.
"Great customer service doesn't force consumers to only use one designated channel,” Gaurav Passi, co-founder and CEO of Zingly, said in a prepared statement. “It adapts to the customer's preference, meeting them where they are."
