Customer support is a pillar of a great customer experience. Companies that can grasp customers’ correct pain points at the correct time (before these pain points become a trend) thrive! The performance of support teams entirely depends on how agile the company is.
What does customer support look like in 2021?
In 2021 customer expectations are higher than ever. For customer support teams, there’s little room for errors. Companies who’ve invested in the latest tools and strategies are thriving (will thrive), while those who haven’t, need to act quickly to remain competitive.
Besides, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought an enormous shift into customer service practices. The customer support department of every business felt the effects of rapidly changing customer expectations. Many businesses adapted to newer practices, and some shifted their models entirely.
In such a scenario, it becomes utterly crucial to know the latest trends and customer expectations. And what can better represent customer expectations and trends than numbers (statistics)! We understand that consistently meeting customer demands can be an arduous task. So, we’ve consolidated a guide to help you keep up with these changes (and then quickly implement them to stay ahead). We’ve also included critical takeaways to help you win over the customer’s heart and mind (and, well, sales.)
This article will explore the top trends in customer service that are just over the horizon.
8 Customer Support Trends and Key Takeaways
Following statistics will help you brainstorm new strategies to strengthen your customer support and make your brand more customer-focused.
1. Consumer Expectation
“63% of consumers expect companies to know their unique needs (and expectations). 76% of B2B buyers also expect the same.”
Key Takeaway:
The hefty number of customers expecting companies to know what they want points directly toward a personalized approach.
In the coming years, personalization will take center stage, and companies must focus on serving experiences catering to the user’s specific needs. It can involve a product demo, personalized support, or customized listings. You can do this by following these four steps:
- Unify your customer data.
- Segment your customers and keep up with the latest market changes.
- Analyze your support regularly.
- Use intelligent customer support software to enhance growth.
Don’t underestimate the power of personalized interactions!
Talking of personalized experience, how about a personalized demo of customer support software that helps you serve a personalized experience? If you’re serious about providing experiences catering to specific customer requirements, DeskXpand is yours to have!
2. Customer Retention
“93% of customers are likely to make buy again from companies that offer excellent customer support.”
On the other hand:
“Around 50% of customers say they would switch to a new brand after one bad experience.”
Key Takeaway:
It is much easier to retain a customer than to acquire a new customer. Retaining customers is more cost-effective too. But, even slight mismanagement in the support can cost you a customer. You’ve to find out what your customers want.
Some customers do not want to wait on long phone calls to report their problems. Sometimes, all they want is a guide to solve the problem themselves. And if they have to contact you, they’d like to do it more simply. Besides, when they contact you, they’d expect you to know everything about them and their purchases. Customers also expect a rapid response.
3. Omnichannel Experiences will be Everywhere
“Modern-day customers no longer just desire the ability to communicate with companies how and when it’s most convenient for them — they expect and DEMAND it.”
“60% of customers find long holds and wait times as the most frustrating parts of their support experience.”
“A Microsoft survey states that the effectiveness of chatbots has fallen to 28%. They’re not as effective as they seem. 40% of American consumers rely on other channels to reach out to service teams.”
Key Takeaway:
If your customer support is not focusing on omnichannel communication, now is the time to adapt. A true omnichannel service includes delivering a seamless and consistent experience across a variety of channels.
Customers want to connect with your brand immediately on their preferred channels – whether social media, email or calls (without waiting for long.) Hence, you need to treat all channels equally and prioritize queries rather than on a channel-by-channel basis.
Companies also need to figure out what channels work best for their customer base rather than randomly following the trends.
4. Self-Service Is An Absolute Must
“Customers prefer knowledge bases over all other self-service channels.”
“69% of customers try to resolve their issue on their own. On the contrary, less than one-third of companies offer self-service options.”
Key Takeaway:
There are no ifs and buts when it comes to providing self-service features. An ideal customer service software will help you enhance the self-service experience for your customers.
Self-service is not just beneficial for your customers but also for your agents. Self-service features cut down a large number of query tickets for certain businesses.
Tl;dr
Implement a well-structured, comprehensive knowledge base for your customer support. Do it right now!
Essential Read: How Jonathan Reduced His Customer Calls by 35%
Make an Exceptional CX Your Differentiating Factor
The upcoming years will be the years of possibilities where customers expect a seamless and personalized experience. And businesses that’ll be able to deliver on these expectations will thrive. Is your company ready?
Keeping the above trends and the future of customer support in mind, we’ve come up with DeskXpand customer support software. It caters to all the specific needs that posterity calls for. So, if you’re curious to know just how much customer service software can benefit you, check out DeskXpand. Our experts at DeskXpand can give you a personalized breakdown of how your customer support can be more efficient by answering just a few questions.
