2022 Customer Service Trends You Should Know
The Pandemic fundamentally transformed the way we do business in the last 2 years. Companies were forced to figure out how to provide quality services to their customers in new ways, and many of them shifted their entire operations online.
In 2021, businesses relied on the Internet (website, email, web chat, text or social media) to connect with their customers, increase revenue and troubleshoot problems. In 2022, organizations will continue to balance between technology and human interaction to provide an even better customer experience in a more beneficial way.
AI Chatbots and Voicebots
Consumers are becoming more familiar with chatbots and more comfortable interacting with them. And while scripted chatbots are not very useful when dealing with a broad range of queries, AI chatbots can use machine learning to better understand you, and provide a quick and meaningful answer.
Combine the power of a chatbot with the familiarity of voice and you get a voicebot that can ensure personalization and convenience for the customer, before escalating queries to a human agent when things become more complex.
Hyper-personalized Customer Service
Knowing who your customer is, their previous order history and eventually some of their personal details can make the customer feel more valued. Dealing with customers as individuals and delivering a bespoke customer support increases the likelihood they will share their positive experience and become an advocate for your brand.
Having a data solution that allows for this level of personalization will become more crucial than ever, especially when customers continue to expect businesses to interact with them digitally.
Social Media as The Primary Customer Support Channel
Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram are now vital elements of the customer journey. Customers are increasingly discovering brands, browsing products and making buying decisions on social media. As a result, they expect to be able to ask questions and get help on the same channels.
Real-time and 24/7 Support
Customer expectations are sky high and will only increase as more brands begin to offer out-of-hours and instant customer service. Having an agent available quickly and, crucially, when the customer wants to talk to you is more important than ever. AI chatbots and voicebots can offer a solution to weary customer support teams who have plenty to deal with, but technology alone is not enough.
The Pandemic also made predicting customer service volumes very difficult. Many organizations had to throw out their forecasting models and simply outsource and hire talent from across the globe to manage unpredictable spikes in demand.
In 2022, working with a BPO company and having an offshore customer support team is a much better solution for sudden shifts in volume or when you must provide a 24/7 service.