It's good to talk even in a high-tech world
Why voice is still vital
For the media and technology sector, when it comes to the channel that matters most, voice is vital.
It seems odd to be talking to global organisations at the cutting edge of technology, whose products are disrupting the way we work and play, about something as simple as voice, but when it comes down to it, when you’re lost on a web transaction consumers still pick up the phone.
In fact, making a phone call remains a top choice for customer service 84% of consumers have contacted a call centre in the past six months.
When a customer calls, they want a response first time, every time. And they want to talk to someone who can help them. With more and more self-service routes available, the contact centre becomes a point of escalation, or for difficult questions. But the voice experience can sometimes be disappointing. People say they have to repeat themselves, that sometimes they know more about the product or service than the agent or get put on hold because agents don’t know what to say.
Of course, voice isn’t the only channel for customers. However, when the customer contacts the organisation, whether it’s phone, web chat, social media or email, they want a frictionless experience.
It’s not just NPS at stake. Seventy-six percent of people buy more from companies that make it easier to do business with them and 79% are loyal to organisations that are simple to contact.
Customer experience without the price tag
The tech companies I talk to, whether they’re providing technology to consumers or other businesses, are all interested in managing their inbound services in a way which delivers the best customer experience, affordably. That doesn’t mean they want low-cost, but they do want a global, reliable solution that offers an easy to use, consistent experience for customers, wherever they are located.
For example, we support a major technology provider’s global help desk. Our managed cloud-based solution means they can cost-effectively manage interactions with customers across multiple channels, offering them a great experience, without having to worry about cost or up-time. And at a time when the sector is looking to shift cost from CAPEX to OPEX, lowering costs and automating what they can, using a cloud-based solution can remove cost and complexity.
As we look to the future, with millennials now the biggest generation in the workplace, we still see voice as critical. In an augmented intelligence world, we see humans increasingly becoming the differentiator in customer service. So, don’t replace your customer service agents with robots just yet.
About Roger Woodend
Roger Woodend is director of media and technology at BT
