We’re living in a digital world where changes in the customer service industry happen by the day. Over the recent years, the focus has been on enhancing customer support in every contact point so that the overall customer experience is always a positive one.
Since this trend is poised to continue for a long time, businesses should adapt and come up with different strategies to better serve customer demands and needs. Here are the top five trends for customer care service that will take your business to greater heights in 2018 and beyond:
1. Artificial Intelligence Solutions
Customers are expecting speed-lightning support due to the influx of technologies. Thanks to smart bots, this is now possible. Bot agents can be deployed to issue automated responses to standard customer queries in real time.
Since the bots are powered by artificial intelligence (AI), they can predict the right answer to inquiries whether the customer is using email, messaging apps, or social. This should free up human agents from routine tasks and focus on more complex customer service solutions.
Last year, Transcosmos launched DataRobot, a machine-learning platform created by top-notch AI and data scientists. This provides end-to-end digital data and AI-related services for clients and customers ranging from advertising to marketing and customer support.
Transcosmos believe that with bot and human agents working together, customers receive the top-quality support however and whenever they need it.
2. On-demand Workforce
Business models are constantly changing as well. As an example, Amazon’s online shopping service is now gearing toward the traditional brick-and-mortar shop for its grocery business, while startups are beefing up their e-commerce sales. In the same way, the customer service workforce is no longer limited to salaried employees but will feature a more mobile workforce.
The hiring of flexible, on-demand agents with diverse skill sets will continue, especially for outsourcing companies. Telecommuters, freelancers, and independent contractors who are part of the on-demand workforce can scale up customer support during peak season and critical business periods.
3. Data-driven and Personalised Service
The digital landscape is full of supercharged customer data. Every time customers initiate an interaction with your business on digital channels – social, live chat systems, and company website – they’re leaving data that say a lot about their customer journey.
The data from these touch points allow you to personalise your offerings and strategies for various segments of your customer demographics. You could also implement a data-driven type of customer service with the help of machine learning technologies.
There are now applications that let you track your customers’ input online and analyse their emotions or behaviour, so by the time the customer interacts with a human customer support agent, the agent has already figured out what the customer needs from your company.
4. Digital Channels over Voice
More and more customers are taking advantage of private messaging applications such as Facebook Messenger Customer Chat and Twitter DM to communicate with customer service teams.
Forecasts say that roughly 1.6 billion people use at least one messaging channel on their smartphone this 2018. Contact centres have also reported that digital interactions are starting to peak compared with voice services.
This means you must put in place an omnichannel strategy for client communication, which should include chat, email, SMS, and social. Your strategy also has to incorporate video camera technologies to help resolve technical queries with customers on the spot.
5. Self-service support
The level of online connectivity that characterises the digital space is changing customers’ expectations in a way that they are becoming more self-reliant.
Digital customers are taking full advantage of the internet technology to help them find the information they need on their own. They want to solve their issues unless the problems are so complex that only a human agent can offer a relevant solution.
By updating your company website, blog, and social accounts with the latest information about your products or services, your customers will find the answers to their questions easily. This approach is perfect for the modern-day customer who wants everything delivered to them in an instant.
Customer Service with a Human Touch
There’s no doubt that many of the best practices in customer service right now are fuelled by technology, data, and automated processes, yet the human touch remains a vital factor. The successful implementation of digital strategies in customer service will remain only as a vision without the interaction and support of live agents.
If you’re looking to enhance the customer experience in your business, you could consider getting assistance from customer service outsourcing companies. In Transcosmos, we have both the technology and human expertise that will help you reach your target market and deliver personalised service to your valued customers.
