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Many Americans Prefer Cleaning a Bathroom Over Calling Customer Service? Let’s Change That!
A recent Interactions survey of over 1,000 U.S. consumers yielded results that may be humorous on the surface but are nothing short of disturbing at the core.
The survey, which looked at consumers’ satisfaction with the customer service they receive from brands, revealed that more than a third of Americans would choose the following unenviable tasks over having to call a customer service line:
- Cleaning a bathroom.
- Have a cavity filled.
- Take the SATs again.
As someone who has spent a good portion of my career working in the customer service and contact center industry, this is something I take personally. However, more than anything else, it is a reminder of why I—and my colleagues at Elevation Connect—work tirelessly every day to provide the best customer experience possible on behalf of our clients.
So just what got the industry to this point? In my opinion, it is an unintended result of the race towards automation using AI self-service tools in customer contact centers. While these tools have provided a level of convenience to certain customer segments and have provided brands with increased efficiencies, far too many have over-automated to the detriment of the customer experience. In turn, consumers have sent back a clear message: customer service has lost too much of the human element.
In fact, noted CX industry expert and Forbes Magazine Contributor Shep Hyken has long feared that too many companies will lose sight of the human element and continue to “over-automate and over-digitize” to the detriment of creating real relationships with customers. He has gone on to say that “smart companies will recognize the balance needed between the digital world and the human-to-human world.
It’s a narrative that’s even made its way into the mainstream media, with Newsweek commenting:
“If it seems brands don’t really want you to talk to their customer service reps, it’s because they don’t.”
This comes at a time when consumer expectations are at an all-time high, with Hiver reporting that 80% expect better customer service than they’ve received in years past. And now more than ever, they are willing to move on to a new brand if they are dissatisfied.
So how can brands keep the human element intact while still controlling costs and increasing efficiency?
1. Design a Customer-Centric Experience: According to Gartner, customer-centricity is the ability to understand customers’ situations, perceptions, and expectations. Customer centricity demands that the customer is the focal point of all decisions related to delivering products, services, and experiences to create customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy.
Designing a customer experience program that does not sacrifice customer centricity for profitability will always win out in the long run. It requires the acknowledgment that AI tools are a key part of the customer journey that supports efficiency, but do not have the ability to understand each and every customer situation.
2. Let Customers Define Their Journey: A truly customer-centric approach is built on the understanding that each customer is different. Some prefer to deal with live agents, while others are comfortable with self-service tools, especially for more routine items. At Elevation Connect, we rely on our automated tools to manage these routine requests, but the option to speak to a human is always available. With 47% of consumers reporting frustration with being forced into one communication channel (according to “Execs in the Know”), it’s something we’ll never abandon.
3. Develop Systems that Make it Easy to Get to The Right Agent: In the same Hiver study, the number one complaint from consumers is “having to explain issues again and again.” We have all had the experience of having to provide our personal information or describe our inquiry repeatedly and through multiple communications channels.
Access to a live agent is only the starting point for addressing this concern. Ensuring that customers are routed to the right agent who can manage their inquiry and has the necessary information to do so is critical.
4. Treat Customers with Respect and Empathy: This may seem overly obvious, but research shows that among the top complaints from consumers is rude or untrained agents. Given that 90% of customers point to good customer service as a driving factor behind staying with a brand, we employ the most knowledgeable, friendly, and empathetic agents in the industry. Anything else would represent a disservice to our clients and their customers.
Ready to implement a truly customer centric CX strategy that will delight your customers?
We would love to talk!
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