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5 Things Customers Really Want in a Support Experience

by Meg Monk | 
woman on phone

A recent Achieving Customer Amazement (ACA) survey found nearly half the respondents would rather go to the dentist than call customer service. Looking at this statistic, it's clear that how painful — or painless — your contact center customer experience is impacts your bottom line. Yet, it's challenging to manage conversations on multiple channels while managing agents who may be working remotely all over the world. 

Today's consumer wants access to on-demand support, using their preferred device and communication method. The speed of service matters, but quick answers don't outweigh thoroughness. If a solution ultimately fails to resolve the problem, the customer satisfaction score (CSAT) tanks. Explore what your clients want from your contact center and how you can deliver on their expectations.

1. An "On-My-Terms" Customer Journey: Contact Centers with Multiple Channels 

The Alvaria Consumer Index Annual Report 2020 asked respondents: "What one part of a personalized customer service experience is most important to you?" Nearly half (46%) responded, "letting me interact using my method of choice." In comparison, 27% said "anticipating my needs" while 15% chose "knowing my name and history." 

Consumers like to do things on their terms — when, how, and where they want. They expect 24/7 access to their accounts across various channels and real-time data. However, multi-channel service can fragment the customer journey. This is often the case when virtual call centers use different vendors for chat, voice, and video conversations. According to Deloitte's 2021 Global Contact Center survey, only "11% of organizations can now transition customers across channels and experiences seamlessly." 

Meet clients on their preferred channel by choosing cloud-based contact center support software with key features, such as: 

2. Effective and Accurate Contact Center Support

Consumers value personalization across multiple channels. However, those demands don't outweigh the desire for quick, precise resolutions. Forty-four percent of respondents to the Alveria Consumer Index Annual Report 2020 want to "get it done right." But what does this mean? The answer depends on how well you understand your customers' situations. 

For instance, a contact center chatbot can assist a client using self-service tools. It directs them to the right resources or walks them through a simple process. The same chatbot is less effective when troubleshooting a time-sensitive problem. 

A specialized Virtual Agent uses natural language processing (NLP) to decipher the differences and connect your customer to the best solution. Yet, according to workforce management and optimization vendor Calabrio, 43% of call center agents say they can't solve an issue because of missing customer data, and 40% attribute it to a lack of tools. 

Effective customer service contact centers improve outcomes using:

  • Conversational AI chatbots: Virtual agents enable resolutions by gathering information like a valid email address, order number, or description of the problem. Chatbots assess customer behavior and work with your call center software for intelligent routing to remote agents.
  • Performance data: Supervisors monitor performance by reviewing inbound and outbound calls and real-time reports. The information shows the types of customer queries across multiple channels, including CSAT trends related to customer sentiment and intent. Leaders use agent performance data to improve response accuracy.
  • Blended channels: An effective virtual contact center manages customer interactions across various channels. It provides agents with real-time and historical customer information. 

3. Clear Communication from Contact Center Agents

Knowledgeable, kind, and helpful agents outweigh customer desires for personalization or multi-channel support. Consumers want contact center representatives who empathize with their frustrations. According to CX expert Shep Hyken's 2021 Achieving Customer Amazement (ACA) Study, 83% of consumers are "willing to switch brands or companies because of a bad customer service experience." 

The Claes Fornell International (CFI) Group's Contact Center Satisfaction Index (CCSI) lists six satisfaction drivers, including agent demeanor, communication, knowledge, effectiveness, and empowerment. 

The key measures for agent demeanor and communication are:

  • Speaking and writing clearly
  • Being courteous and friendly
  • Explaining things in an accessible way
  • Acting professional
  • Using words that are easy to for the average person to understand

Many businesses want better conversations and relationships with their clients. Yet, something holds them back. This often stems from a lack of insight into agent performance on inbound or outbound calls. Companies must track every customer interaction and ensure every team member can reply to customer inquiries. Sure, the best agent can listen carefully and answer questions. But they must also demonstrate empathy for an excellent customer experience.

4. Consistent and Personalized Customer Interactions

Personalization takes many forms, from online forms that auto-populate personal information to contact center representatives who acknowledge a caller by name and recognize valued customers. Hyken's 2021 ACA Study found that 75% of consumers "are more likely to be loyal to a company or brand that delivers a personalized customer experience." 

Unfortunately, 66% of respondents to the Salesforce State of the Connected Customer survey say "they're generally treated like numbers." Likewise, 54% report that it typically "feels like sales, service, and marketing teams don't share information." 

Here are four ways to improve your contact center customer experience:

  • Review call quality metrics across multiple departments
  • Display customer data on the agent's screen for incoming calls
  • Automate customer updates, so every team has the latest information 
  • Deploy Virtual Agents that can identify repeat customers and collect information upfront

5. Convenient and Fast Contact Center Experiences

Although companies prioritize speed of service and provide convenient tools, consumers still face challenges when trying to get answers promptly. It's important to streamline all customer interactions with your contact center help desk. For instance, the Contact Center Satisfaction Index measures interactive voice response systems (IVRs) based on the ease of accessing information, order of menu options, and the degree to which the data meets the customers' needs. 

The CCSI score for IVR systems is 52%, compared to an 82% rating for call center agents' demeanor. Your contact center software is often the first thing people interact with on phone calls. If the experience is so-so before an agent even comes on the line, you have a problem. 

There are multiple ways your call center can improve each customer experience. These include updating your knowledge base regularly, offering live and virtual agents for chat, and using contact center systems with integrated tools. In short, your call center platform should support natural customer interactions and meet expectations across various channels.  

Contact Center Agents and Software Improve Customer Experiences

As more employees work remotely, cloud-based customer support tools are essential. Moreover, your company must be ready to adapt to emerging channels as customer behavior changes. Deliver on your company's promise of excellence with one-to-one contact center experiences that meet your client on their preferred platform and solve their problems quickly and effectively.