TRENDING staggering 16 % increase from 2021 . But only 13 % of businesses have the tools and technology in place to deliver the experiences people want today .
• Less than half ( 43 %) of consumers have felt highly valued after a call , while a quarter of consumers have lost their temper ; some ( 12 %) had experiences so bad that they were driven to tears .
• These bad experiences are worse than frustrating – they ’ re loyalty killers : 77 % of consumers will switch brands after five or fewer negative interactions with a brand ’ s customer service .
“ Consumers today have little tolerance for fragmented , inefficient and transactional interactions , which they ’ re demonstrating by leaving for the competition ,” said Barbara Holzapfel , Chief Marketing Officer at Genesys . “ The most innovative organizations are proactively that get it right have the potential to unlock new revenue opportunities : more than 80 % of consumers say they would purchase additional items from companies that consistently personalize the customer service experience – an increase of 10 % from 2017 .
• Response time and issue resolution efficacy : More than 50 % of those surveyed ranked fast responses and having their issue solved during the first interaction as the most valuable elements of customer experience .
• Dropped calls and dead-end automation : In contrast , consumers reported dropped calls as the most frustrating thing that can happen while engaging with customer service , followed closely by the inability to reach a live agent from a chatbot or reaching a dead-end from a phone menu .
The majority of consumers
( 86 %) believe a company is only as good as its service .
addressing these rapidly changing expectations by redefining what ’ s possible using digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence ( AI ). For organizations , this study underscores the importance of strengthening customer and employee relationships by orchestrating personalized , empathetic experiences at scale .”
Earn loyalty by understanding customer generational dynamics and personalization preferences
For organizations to meet the increasing expectations of consumers , it ’ s imperative to understand the preferences and motivations that are driving their behaviors .
• The experience and values-driven generations : Gen Z and millennials ’ loyalty is won and lost in the experience . These generations are quick to stop doing business with a company after a poor customer experience : 33 % of Gen Z consumers switched brands last year , compared to just 25 % of baby boomers . But those younger consumers are even quicker to become brand ambassadors for companies that provide excellent customer service : 43 % – an increase of 13 % from 2021 – will recommend to their network , compared to less than 33 % of baby boomers .
• Strategic personalization drives loyalty and revenue : Marketing deals are less important to consumers ( 16 %) than receiving a personalized experience for services when they need them on the channel they want ( 62 %). Organizations
CX excellence requires seamless experiences and investment in employees
Across industries , many companies are rethinking their approach to customer service – with plans to increase their related budgets by 25 % in 2023 . Key spending priorities focus on enabling end-to-end experience orchestration to improve engagement across channels , systems and departments . In addition , businesses are recognizing the intrinsic connection between their customers and employees . According to nearly half of CX leaders surveyed ( 47 %), the number one CX priority is investing in technology or connecting systems that improve the employee experience . Key focus areas over the next one to two years include simplifying the employee user experience and helping them better respond to customer needs with enhanced knowledge management capabilities .
As organizations invest , consumer preferences and attitudes should play a key role in determining which technologies and tools to use :
• Better chatbot and employee connections start with knowledge : While chatbot use for customer service is on the rise , so is consumer frustration . Only 21 % of consumers were highly satisfied with a chatbot , citing not being able to reach a live agent from a chatbot and having to repeat a conversation they had with a bot to an agent as their top frustrations . For organizations to reap the potential of bots , they ’ ll need to focus on creating a more seamless flow of the right information across channels and interactions , making it easier and faster for customers to accomplish their goals .
• Connected customer experiences are key : According to CX leaders , the biggest challenge
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