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Does CX Really Matter?
I spoke a few weeks ago at CCW 2019 in Berlin about “The Voice of the Customer.” In essence, we discussed if CX is still important and how should organizations strive to continuously improve their customer experience offerings from their call centers, and how it measuring up towards today’s customer expectations.
It was interesting that throughout CCW, many of the speakers discussed the emergence of AI, and how it will save money for their organization. For me the key benefit is that AI will help unleash insights. With effective AI in contact centers, we now have access to “dark data,” which can provide guidance to the agents in real time, and ultimately revolutionize the customer experience.
I spoke to a very engaged audience, most of whom were call or contact center managers and leaders. Key for them was what were seen as the most important factors driving the customer experience - what are the key “turn-ons” and “turn-offs” for their customers.
Simply put the “turn-ons” are the following:
- Answer my call quickly
- Know who I am
- Provide great assistance – customers are very willing to spend more time with an agent if they know that it will resolve their issue
What then turns them off:
A bad experience - 75% of respondents in our Five9 Customer Service Index stated that they are “very or somewhat unlikely to do business with company if they have a poor customer service experience”.
So if it is as easy as what I have stated above why do we not do this?
The first shift that needs to happen is that we look at the contact center as the forefront of customer engagement and service, which ultimately fosters better experiences and drives loyalty. The contact center should no longer be seen as a cost center, but as a profit center. As we globally move more towards e-commerce strategies, for some customers the only time they will engage with a brand is through the contact center.
To keep up with this trend, today’s businesses also need to embrace best practices and new technologies. With digital transformation still working its way through the enterprise, moving to the cloud should be table-stakes. As customer expectations continue to grow, it’s crucial that you prepare your contact center for the addition of AI.
A final word on what your customer is looking for in CX – phone and voice is still king!!! Studies show that this is the preferred modality of communication across all age groups, including millennials.
Customer Service Index – Part two of our survey covering Business Decision Makers will be published late March 2019. Register for our “Bridging the Gap: 5 Ways Executives are Enhancing Customer Satisfaction” webinar featuring renowned industry analyst Blair Pleasant.