Nowadays, customers communicate with businesses in a multitude of ways. The social media boom has opened many new outlets that enable customers to reach out to all the different brands. This, of course, comes with the expectation that this open communication would be respected on the brand’s end, communicating back to the customers how they want to be communicated.
The increase in the number of communication channels can come at the cost of providing personalised customer service. This is especially dangerous to these businesses as according to the Genesys report “The State of Customer Experience”, two things consumers globally value most in a service interaction are a fast response and a first-contact resolution.
To be able to provide customers with this personalised approach, organisations would need to listen and fully understand their customers’ expectations and needs. This understanding would then empower organisations to personalise their customer service interactions with relevant answers, information, and recommendations.
Customer service is personal
According to the Genesys report, personalisation enables firms to boost customer value in the short and long term, as well as grow revenue and reach. According to the analysis, 81 percent of the 5,517 consumers polled would buy more things if they were assured a tailored experience every time they bought from a specific company. While 79 percent of respondents said they would recommend the company to a friend or colleague.
Despite the obvious value of personalisation, only 35 percent of the 646 “CX Leaders” polled claim their organisation now provides a highly tailored customer experience. Disconnected technology and data are typical issues in many firms, limiting their capacity to adapt to customer preferences – particularly in real-time.
According to the survey, most customers want to receive the services they require at any time through their preferred channel (62 percent), rather than personalised marketing offers or loyalty programs (16 percent). This, combined with the fact that “being connected straightaway with the right person to help me” is also among the top preferences, demonstrates that the most important kinds of personalisation occur during customer service interactions.
Leveraging the power of AI for customer service
Offering services to customers at any time and through their preferred channel requires well-designed journeys and the technology to eliminate any bottlenecks. This entails listening and understanding projected intent using data and artificial intelligence (AI). Then you can serve up the most relevant resource, whether it’s a bot, a FAQ page, or a human connection.
Predictive routing is the most effective way to utilise contact center resources, ensuring that your most important resource — your people — devotes the majority of their time to high-value encounters. Personalising voice interactions necessitates staff having a thorough view of the consumer. This allows them to not only close the conversation fast, but also focus on customer education, proactive communication, and addressing difficult issues.
Empowering staff to offer that individualised experience is at the top of the CX Leaders’ strategic agenda for the next two years. According to the poll, their top objective is improving employee experience with new technology – and by linking existing technology.
Other key goals include “Enhancing analytics for real-time insights, analytics, and reporting” and “Using data and AI for customer understanding and personalisation.” Personalisation is a top CX goal for increasing customer loyalty and generating new income.
The case for the cloud
From a technological standpoint, this is causing enterprises to reconsider their IT stack, particularly with regard to all-in-one platforms. Over the next two years, 71 percent of the surveyed CX Leaders plan to create a CX platform that connects systems such as CRM, ERP, and communications platforms to support their strategic aims.
Cloud-based technology is crucial for the long-term effectiveness of these tactics – for data visibility and the agility to develop. According to the survey, the two most important benefits of the cloud are improved access to data across channels and speedier addition of capabilities, features, and channels. It is critical for overall competitiveness to be able to swiftly remove friction while also innovating at the speed of the customer.
Personalising experiences at scale necessitates the orchestration capabilities of cloud-based automation and AI. In addition to intent mining and predictive features, these solutions close the loop with real-time data, allowing you to learn and adapt. As a result, there is a virtuous circle of relevance and personalisation in customer service that fosters loyalty and encourages long-term business success.
