Is your company providing a great digital experience? You may think so, but your customers may disagree. A recent study by Conduent, which surveyed customers in the U.S. and Europe, found that 47% were not satisfied with their overall experiences. This statistic is hardly unique, as many studies reveal the same sentiment. The more companies strive to implement technology in their customer service practices, the more they struggle to offer seamless experiences. Customers may have more options for communication, yet the quality of each interaction is compromised if a brand delivers a fragmented experience. Here are five ways to optimize digital customer engagement and ensure that technology actually fuels customer satisfaction.
While some brands believe that offering a mobile app makes customers’ lives easier, this isn’t necessarily true. A comScore report found that, on one hand, customers do spend 57% of their digital time in mobile apps. However, 51% do not download any new apps in a given month. Convincing customers to use new apps is therefore a major challenge. Rather, it makes more sense to simplify the mobile experience in other ways that reduce customer effort. Optimizing your website for mobile devices, offering click-to-call buttons, and communicating on channels that customers already use socially (such as messaging apps and SMS) are all ways to deliver a great mobile experience.
Is your Facebook page as informative as your Twitter account? Do customers get a faster response via phone? When customers look at any given channel, they should feel that each one is a viable method of contact. While each channel has unique qualities and can’t be used in the same way as others, customers should feel that your brand has optimized each one to meet its full potential. For example, use Facebook to post engaging video content, respond quickly on Twitter, and use a callback system on the voice channel.
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Digital experiences can unfortunately provoke security issues. Take measures to enforce security within the contact center and from the customer’s side. For example, ask customers to use passwords to access accounts, and ensure that customer service agents do the same when using data. Data encryption and the use of trusted payment methods also protect sensitive customer information. Be sure to present your secure methods clearly so that customers know exactly how you are taking steps to protect them.
Customers are often happy to help themselves, especially when they save time. Empower customers through self-service by offering IVR menus, providing a discussion forum on your website with answers to frequent questions, and producing engaging video tutorials that help them find quick solutions. A study by Coleman Parkes found that 91% of respondents would use an online knowledge base if it were available and designed to meet their needs.
Is your company meeting customer needs on a personal level? Your customers should never feel anonymous when they interact with you. Analyzing customer profiles, such as purchasing habits and survey responses, enables your company to foster a deeper connection with each individual. Such information can be used to create targeted promotional offers, offer personalized video content, make product recommendations, and improve service communications. As your company continues to tweak customer practices and find ways to implement new technologies, always consider the user experience. While many customers appreciate the digital transformation of customer service, they value simplicity and efficiency above all. Optimizing each digital experience will win the trust and satisfaction of your customers.
