6 Customer Service Experience Trends to watch for in 2022
Companies from all industries need to keep up with emerging service experience trends if they want to meet customer expectations that are continuously evolving. This is critical to remain competitive. There are 6 top customer service experience trends to look at in 2022.
Customer service developments in the recent past
There is a strong emphasis on customer experience over product.
According to PWC, nearly 96% of customers interviewed indicates customer experience is their prime motivator when choosing companies. 86% of buyers says they would pay more for a better customer experience.Technological advancements allowed the use of AI-powered agents to help dig into historical data and predict future customer needs. With rising cases of cybercrime in 2021, security certifications are now a priority as customers are more likely to trust companies that pair privacy and security with valuable personalized service. More customers embrace the “self-serve” principle with many turning to videos and readily available resources to resolve their inquiries. However, many still appreciate speaking with a service representative via live chat or email.
Summary
What is an excellent customer service experience?
A one-size-fits-all or standardized approach to customer care does no longer seems the right answer. Today customers expect and look for personalized response that reduces any friction or situational stress. Companies need to anticipate customer needs early and offer highly personalized service based on the individual needs and preferences of the customer. Ultimately people nature demands people connections linked with a high degree of empathy. Delivering personalized experience across all service levels helps building trust and loyalty among customers, resulting in more fulfilling experiences among your employees.
Trend 1: Proactive vs. Reactive customer service
In customer care the new norm is to adopt a more proactive than reactive customer service. It is important to identify potential issues in advance and predict their occurrence to guarantee more positive experiences for your customers.
Statistics show over 50% of consumers will shift to another brand if businesses don’t regularly anticipate their needs.Proactive customer service is to foresee the kind of help customers may require before they even ask. This means minimizing inconveniences in every possible way and keeping customers up to date of each action that have been taken to address their issues. This is allowing a free flow of information from the company to the consumer to help change potential negative experiences into positives. Companies may consider integrating customer service team systems, billing systems, customer management systems, and operations teams with AI analytics to effectively predict when and what kind of issues may occur. Combining technology and human expertise to empower your team to proactively address issues and turn potential negative experiences into positives
Trend 2: Customer experience roles
Customer experience is a well-regarded and rewarded career, more if companies integrate systems that allow collaboration between humans and machines.
Recent studies reveal that 79% of contact center leaders plan to invest in greater AI capabilities within two years..Customer support teams should now be given the support and recognition they rightly deserve. Happy agents translate to happier customers. Companies need to realign their budgets and provide agents with better tools to produce more effective teams.
Trend 3: Customer experience automation
Automation is the new normal regardless of your industry.
Recent data reveals that 90% of companies report that they are planning to deploy AI by 2022. Meaning nearly 40% of all customer interactions will be automated through AI and machine learning.As technology delivers more convenience to our daily lives, virtual assistants will continue to optimize interactions between your brand and customers.
A study of Millennials and Gen Z shows over 60% of individuals in those age groups prefer the help of a virtual assistant or AR/VR support than speaking to a live agent via telephone.Trend 4: Customer data protection
Transparency and security are integral parts of the individualized experiences companies wish to provide to their clients. Customers are security conscious and are much savvier than ever when regarding potential threats to their security. Companies need to be transparent regarding how they collect and store customers’ personal information..
Trend 5: Customer expectations
Customer expectations are now an explicit and permanent reality following a year of transformation and adaption.
Recent statistics show that 59% of consumers care more about customer experience post-COVID-19 than before.Some of the new expectations include an insistence on ethical practices, convenience, and purpose. Consequently, companies need to prioritize convenience, 24/7 availability of products and information, next day delivery, and unmatched customer service.
Trend 6: A holistic approach
A holistic approach to CX means transforming your customer experience into multilingual, multi-market support. The vision is to shift from omnichannel to a more holistic, company-wide approach with the integration of diverse customer-focused functions to better nurturing of the total customer journey.
Every brand wants to be known for providing excellent customer service. Customer service is a crucial differentiation and when done well it has a substantial impact on the success of your business.
