How businesses can meet the demands of digital-savvy customers and push the boundaries of CX

This is a guest post by Laura Bassett, Vice President, Product Marketing at NICE CXone.

The sharp rise in digital in recent years has correlated with a rise in customer expectations. With everything instantly at our fingertips, anytime we have a question or complaint about a service or product that we’ve purchased, we want the solution the moment we start looking for it. We also expect to be served through the channels we most often use, whether that’s using the web, social media, or by text messaging. Businesses, therefore, must offer top-tier, personalized customer service to meet the high expectations of today’s digital-savvy customers.

No more bouncing from agent to agent

Customer service shouldn’t be treated like a game of soccer. If the customer starts their support journey on WhatsApp, they don’t want to be redirected to a web page that next tells them to call. They should be able to get everything they need at that first point of entry rather than being passed from channel to channel and from agent to agent.

It only takes one or two bad experiences for most consumers (57% to be exact) to abandon a brand, yet in many cases, interactions with businesses remain disjointed and inefficient. Exceptional customer service doesn’t need to have fireworks, seamless and simple will win every time.

By complicating the process, brands are leaving the door open for competition. Customers are particular and will look elsewhere if a service doesn’t meet their needs. To avoid losing their business and to maintain their loyalty, companies must put customer experience (CX) at the heart of everything they do and be present at every touchpoint of a customer’s support journey.

Empowering agents to deliver

In order to ensure customer satisfaction, it’s vital that agents have the right knowledge and tools readily available to provide quality assistance. Like customers, agents’ expectations have also changed. They are increasingly striving to deliver great service and it’s no longer enough for them to simply read from a script. They want to be able to offer a high level of support to customers while also receiving a high level of support from their employer. Equipping agents with the necessary information to solve a customer’s problem will guarantee a better outcome for all involved.

Being able to help a customer overcome an issue or complete a task leads to a more confident agent and keeping the morale among employees high will have a knock-on effect on the customer. A happy agent is far more likely to go above and beyond for your business, so it’s crucial that steps are taken to empower your staff, minimize burnout, and encourage a work-life balance.

Technology is key

To ensure agents have what they need to better serve their customers, they need access to the right technology. Utilizing bot assistants and having access to real-time customer data will help agents stay on track with their interactions and provide insights into key topics for enhanced service. This also helps with automated processes that can better support customer requests. Agents can turn known customer behaviors and preferences into decisions that improve both CX and your bottom line.

In the coming months, data-driven strategies will become more prevalent. Through AI behavioral models based on countless customer interactions and by looking at past customer support experiences, companies will be able to predict what their customers will need when they are contacted. They’ll be able to offer customers self-service options, allowing problems to be resolved straight away. Whichever route a customer chooses, it’s vital that you’re prepared.

The amazing is possible

When trying to turn an unamazing customer experience into an amazing one, it’s important that brands know where to begin. You must be proactive in knowing your customers’ needs and identifying the point in their journey where they may request help.

Looking at other successful businesses will allow you to figure out ways in which you can emulate the level of service they provide. For example, with a retailer, what is that a competitor does for their customers in the first 30 days of a sale to provide exceptional service that you do not? Would their model work for your business? Do you have a plan in place to test different options? The service you provide within that first month can potentially increase your customer retention by 50%.

Whether it involves directly helping your customers or simply giving them the option to help themselves, being there at every step of the way is a must. It doesn’t start with your contact center—it starts with you.

This is a guest post by Laura Bassett, Vice President, Product Marketing at NICE CXone.

About Laura

Laura is an outstanding product marketer, gifted speaker, product ambassador, and strategic thinker. She is practical with execution and achieving ambitious goals set by the team. She is committed to her team and ensuring their success and contribution to the broader business, and rumor has it she creates a trusted and fun work environment.

Laura has 20+ years of experience in consulting, development, and delivery, making her an extremely knowledgeable and passionate Vice President of Product Marketing at NICE. Laura is NICE CXOne’s chief storyteller, leading a team of the industry’s most innovative and creative thought leaders. She leads product, content, segment, and competitive marketing for NICE, working closely with product management, sales, and channels to passionately deliver solutions for customers and help them make experiences flow.

She is very personable and has built strong, positive relationships and influences at every level of the organization. She has a passion for customer success and for an outstanding customer experience.

In her spare time Laura keeps quite busy in her mom duties to her 3rd grade twins and if there is a spare moment it’s spent on anything outdoors, top of the list is any chance to escape and paddleboard to start her day!

Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash