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T
echnology is becoming more
accessible to businesses every
day, thanks, in part, to reduced
costs resulting from multiple technology
start-ups fighting for market share. And as
it becomes more integrated into our
everyday lives, keeping up with the speed
of digital innovation is more vital than
ever for organisations that want to
remain competitive.
When it comes to customer service, the
rising use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and
the likes of chatbots threatens to cut out the
human connection entirely. But is relying on
technology for every customer interaction
a risky business? We all know that a single
negative encounter could potentially lead to
the loss of a loyal and lucrative client.
Poor customer service has a long-term
impact on buying decisions and some
customers avoid companies for years after
an initial negative interaction. And with the
rise of social media as a communication tool
for brands, unhappy customers can amplify
their voices. One bad review can spread like
wildfire, deterring hundreds of customers
from doing business with a brand. In fact,
studies show that 80% of customers won’t
buy from companies with negative reviews.
Social media is one of the many digital
assets that organisations are investing
in, in order to improve their customer
“
WITH THE RISE
OF SOCIAL
MEDIA AS A
COMMUNICATION
TOOL FOR
BRANDS,
UNHAPPY
CUSTOMERS CAN
AMPLIFY THEIR
VOICES.
www.intelligentcio.com
Neil Hammerton, CEO and
Co-founder, Natterbox
communication. But organisations that want
to enjoy long-term success must find the
right balance between automated customer
service and human connection. While
the former can help increase productivity
and enable faster customer transactions,
the other is indispensable when it comes
to creating a personalised and pleasant
customer experience that will gain long-term
loyalty and trust.
The human touch is ultimately the
superpower that will differentiate customer
service-orientated businesses from their
competitors. These businesses should
certainly be focusing their investments on
digital innovations, but they must ensure
that the technology and tools they invest in
enable customer service agents to enhance
their performance and build a business’
reputation for offering exceptional
customer experience.
The speed priority
One crucial aspect that organisations should
prioritise if they want to keep their customers
happy is reducing waiting time.
We’re living in an era where consumers
want immediate gratification and if they
don’t get it, they’ll simply look elsewhere.
A recent study from Gartner revealed
that almost one-third of people believe
that waiting on hold for more than two
minutes is too long. In reality, consumers
will actually wait on hold for an average of
11 minutes before hanging up. However,
one in three customers will never call back
if they don’t get an agent on the line on
their first attempt. These stats aren’t just
INTELLIGENTCIO
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