The beginning of the new year is a time of summing up the past and forecasting the future. At BOTWISE, we look at how customer service will change, what trends will it face, and what value will this bring to the client. Let's get started!

What 2021 has brought to customer service?

Before we start to predict the future, it's time to face the past. In December 2020 we issued "Customer Care Report - Trends & Challenges". In addition to an in-depth look at what work in the area of ​​customer service looks like, together with the invited experts, we thought about how this industry will change. Here are the main conclusions we came to:

• customer service will be driven by technology, including AR consultants, bots, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing;
• the role of customer service specialists will be limited to providing answers for the most difficult queries;
• technology will not replace but support customer service consultants as there is still room for understanding the clients' needs and empathy;
• remote work will be a new normal;
• self-service channels will grow in importance;
• to reduce rotation in customer service teams, it will be necessary to progressively automate repetitive tasks and delegate employees to tasks that will support their development.

Looking back at this list, we must admit that we've been pretty good at predicting the future. What we are most satisfied with is the fact that technology is no longer perceived as an absolute threat to humans, but as a necessary support.

Not only employers but also employees appreciate its great advantages. Technology improves customer service processes, automates tedious tasks, but cannot replace a human being in an empathetic, direct relationship with the customer. So both sides must cooperate to make a customer happy and meet customer needs.

With a new year ahead of us and new challenges, let's check what we can expect in 2022.

The future of customer service

Taking into account that the pandemic continues, it still has a great impact on the future of customer service. This affects the consolidation of certain patterns so that some of the trends from last year will be continued. Directions of changes in customer service are also a derivative of growing expectations. The new generation of customers wants to have choice, transparency, flexibility, highly personalized and quick service.

Digitalization

The future of customer service is digital. It refers to numerous aspects, including i.a.:

• channels of communication - direct contact are replaced by chatbots, live chats, and real-time communication via social media;
• work tools based mainly on AI and machine learning, aimed at automation of repetitive tedious tasks and improving the efficiency;
• development of a new generation of self-service tools that will enable the customers to solve their problems quicker.

According to Deloitte Digital ", 79% of contact center leaders plan to invest in greater AI capabilities in the next two years". This is proof that automation is no longer perceived as a threat, but as an ally that can make work in customer support more attractive and productive.

The fact that bots are in the front lines, doesn't mean that a man is not needed. Happy employees make the customer happy and their role is undeniable when it comes to stepping in when the customer is angry and when it comes to problems with escalating issues.

Strategic approach

Excellent customer service will become a competitive differentiator of the company. Customers are more likely to choose a brand that follows their growing expectations in terms of customer experience instead of a brand that offers just good products. According to "37 customer experience statistics you need to know for 2022", customer experience is No 1 priority for the business in the next 5 years (No 2 is a product and No 3 is pricing).

Therefore, improving the quality of customer interaction and efficiency will become a strategic goal of the organization. What is more, Key Performance Indicators will become one of the most important tools of measuring customer success (to learn more, read "KPIs review in customer service"). And there is no reason to be surprised. There are more and more researches proving the relationship between customer service and profit. For example, the study of the Temkin Group shows that companies earning $1 B annually can earn $7 M additionally in 3 year-time by investing in customer experience.

Impact that matters

Customer services teams will gain more importance in the structures of the organization and their role will continue to change. Technical and repetitive tasks will be delegated to intelligent machines while employees will be responsible for building a customer base and creating a positive customer experience. As this has a significant influence on meeting the business needs and generating profit (no customer base, no profit), customer service departments will be prioritized for example in the following ways:

• key role in the development strategy of the company;
• appointing chief customer officer;
• allocating budget for training and promotions;
• implementation of innovative work tools.

A few years ago, a job in the call center or other structures related to customer support was perceived in a different way than today. Currently, working in customer service teams creates a lot of opportunities in terms of self-development, contribution to the organization's success, collaborating with intelligent machines as well as more and more attractive salaries. So, customer support will gain well-deserved recognition and its work will create real value. According to Gartner, we can even expect that "by 2023, 25% of organizations will integrate marketing, sales and customer experience (CX) into a single function". All these changes will influence lower turnover in customer support and better quality of service.

Proactive attitude

There will be a shift from following the clients' needs to anticipate them. According to Salesforce Research, "50% of customers are likely to switch brands if their needs aren't anticipated". Customer service teams will be striving to avoid situations when damage is done to the client. They will thoroughly analyze the client's needs and offer solutions that meet them. There will be a strong focus on customization and personalization. This is a field when technology and human will support each other. Technology as a tool to collect and analyze data, a man as a personal advisor.

Transparency will also play a significant role. Once the damage is done, customer service teams will take full responsibility. In case any technical problem occurs (which happens during hot seasons, like for example Black Friday in the e-commerce sector), they will try to anticipate the client's reaction and take preventive actions. Customer service will also be more responsive. Situations in which clients ask about the status of the complaint will no longer exist.

Self-service

The development of self-service tools will gain in importance. The companies should invest in their knowledge base, FAQs, support articles, and how-to video that will replace customer calls for help so that customers will be able to find relevant information on their own, easily and fast.

It's not only about taking care that all information is up-to-date but making it accessible in a user-friendly way. Customers want to navigate on the website and across channels intuitively. They also want to have access every time and everywhere, especially via mobile phones. Already today, 70% of customers expect a company’s website to include a self-service application and 40% of consumers prefer self-service over human contact. This is another area where technology can help.

Personal touch

Data is already a powerful tool. The future of customer service teams will be data-driven. Why? To get to know the customer through and through, and provide a personal level right away. According to Salesforce Research, "58% of customers say it's absolutely critical or very important for companies to provide a personalized experience".

Personalization will have an impact on shortening the purchase process. The clients will not have to think about what to buy, the customer service will do it for them. The personal touch will also influence building relationships with brands. Once the clients are satisfied with what they get, they have no need to search for alternatives. So, in order to build/maintain/increase the customer base, artificial intelligence will learn about the client as much as possible.

Although many clients will search for information by themselves or use the most popular communication channels (for example social media, chatbots), there will be a rise in video calls. Customers will treat them as a more effective way of communication instead of writing. Partly thanks to the pandemic, there is also a greater need for at least a substitute for personal contact and the sound of the voice. It will be a great opportunity for companies to improve customer interaction.

Sensitivity training

As it was already noticed, bots will not eliminate humans. Employees will be needed, but for different types of tasks. What will count is the ability to show empathy and a human-centric approach. This is something different from the way employees performed their jobs during recent years. The main focus was on meeting the target no matter what. Meanwhile, customers expect something different. According to Salesforce Research, "66% of customers say they're extremely or somewhat likely to switch brands if they feel like they're treated like a number rather than an individual". To make a shift from being task- to client-oriented, customer support teams will be trained.

Sensitivity training will be a must. Employees will learn how to identify and take care of the client's needs, how to actively listen, how to solve problems without escalating issues, how to be sensitive, patient, empathetic, and respectful.

Let's talk about customer care!

After having an in-depth look into what the future of service will bring, you're probably wondering what your company can do to get prepared. The best thing to do is to follow what customers expect you to do to make them feel like an individual, not just a number.

Each organization requires its own strategy and setting individual KPIs. On the other hand, there are some aspects that cannot be neglected in case customer service is expected to be the company's differentiator. They can be summarized in 5 main points:

1. Start to perceive customer service as a competitive advantage rather than cost center;
2. Automate repetitive tasks;
3. Anticipate the client's needs;
4. Support collaboration between humans and machines;
5. Accept the fact that customer expectations will continue to grow.

In BOTWISE we use the most recent technologies (like artificial intelligence and machine learning) to support humans in their everyday work. If you want to learn how we can take your customer service to the next level, sign up for a free demo.