Web Self-Service, The Future of Customer Interface

30% of online shoppers say they are more likely to complete a sales transaction when live web support is available.

Considering that almost three quarters of internet users are now spending 25% of their disposable income online, that 30% suddenly starts to look very significant.

The advent of social media means that an expectation for rapid response in customer service is upon us. There are now so many customer touch-points that brands are rapidly running out of excuses to deliver a less-than-seamless online experience.

“Customer Democracy”

We’re living in an age where consumers are demanding a choice in how they interact with brands and are beginning to form pretty unified ideas of what they want. At present, a minority of brands measure up, with just 34% currently considered to provide a ‘good’ customer experience.

Unsurprisingly, an overwhelming number of online shoppers are fed-up of the call-centre experience, with almost 50% agreeing that it’s the most frustrating service channel. Considering that a reported 60 million hours are wasted on hold with call centres every year, it’s not difficult to decipher why.

On the other hand, attitudes to web-based chat applications are improving; 62% of consumers report being responsive to live chat (up 52% from 2011), and 77% of live chat fans cited rapid response as its most valuable feature.

Your customers crave real customer service

Given this apparent universal reluctance to pick up the phone, it’s no surprise that:

• 72% of consumers say they would prefer to sort out their customer service query online,
• 60% attempt web self- service as the first method for resolving transaction issues, and;
• 50% of all smartphone users would prefer to use a mobile customer service application than dial a customer helpline.

In fact, as many as 25% of consumers say they would abandon a website or seek another solution if they couldn’t find what they were looking for, so there’s never been a more vital time for brands to ensure their customer service vision is leading edge.

Good customer service benefits customers and companies

The good news is that it’s not just the consumer who benefits from multi-channel communication. Contact centre staff costs are the largest annual expense for businesses, often totalling up to 60% of operational costs. Web chat on the other hand, enables agents to deal with five or six queries at a time, resulting in significant productivity benefits.

Not to be short-changed, however, if service levels are below par or overly complex, consumers will return to the old faithful customer service via telephone.

With 21% of UK businesses alone expected to implement online customer service within the next 12 months, time is of the essence. In the competitive online marketplace, brands should act quickly to ensure their customer service is as streamlined and efficient as possible.

‘Numero’ is a world-class software solutions provider, dedicated to helping first-rate companies deliver exceptional customer service over any channel.