If you’re still not convinced of the influence of the Internet-empowered consumer, the time to think about reconsidering would be right now. New research from Pew Internet shows that the number of individuals who don’t use the Internet is quickly declining. In fact, less than one year ago, 25 percent of adults reported not using the Internet, while today, that number is now only 15 percent.
Reasons cited by current non-Internet users include irrelevance (34 percent), difficulty to use (32 percent), too costly (19 percent) – specifically, too costly to own a computer and pay for Internet – and a lack of Internet access in general (7 percent).
So, what does this mean for the call center? It means more opportunity for servicing customers via the Web. Think about it, your customers are just as diverse and tech savvy as your call center. Just as you’re striving to constantly raise the bar by integrating the latest industry innovations – like virtual call center employees and cloud-based software – your employees are embracing the latest service strategies, including Web-based methods like live Web and video chat. Your customers are well aware of the array of service options they have at their disposal – after all, one in five shoppers prefer online chat over any other form of communication, with nearly two-thirds of shoppers (or 65 percent) saying that they have already tried out live chat for customer service while shopping online.
Bottom line: more online customers means more customers who are ready – or at the very least willing – to embrace online service. Now the question is: Are you ready to reach out to them?
