By Joel Sylvester, Chief Client Officer, Five Star Call Centers
Consumer-to-brand interaction today looks much different than it did decades ago.
Today, customers have technology at their fingertips, which has changed how often and in what ways people experience and interact with companies. The digital age—with the introduction of new technologies, social media presence, AI, and more—has increased the rate of data exchange. While tech drives customer communications, consumers expect digital customer service to mimic good old-fashioned customer care.
As modern consumers’ needs evolve, omnichannel call centers meet demands and boost the customer experience.
Looking to experience Five Star Call Centers omnichannel services? Contact us today!
The Evolution of the Customer Experience
During the 1980’s businesses saw a surge in marketing expenses, which made acquiring new customers more costly. Advertising included a plethora of materials—including direct mail, newspaper and yellow page ads, and more—which piled on costs. Add to that video and TV marketing, and expenses increased further.
To reduce advertising dollars and preserve profits, companies focused on customer retention to drive growth and revenue. As a result, a significant after-effect emerged: an era of the “customer king.” Brands became hyper-focused on customer needs and reducing the number of consumer complaints.
Fast-forward to the early 2000s, during the rise of social media. Social platforms allowed consumers to share all their thoughts—good and bad—about brand interactions. Communication became instant. This heightened customer service responses to mitigate poor reviews and strengthen brand loyalty.
Now customer service channels have expanded across digital devices, and modern consumers expect immediate attention. Operations teams across industries are navigating hybrid work environments and talent challenges on top of meeting the ever-evolving customer experience.
To help boost consumer satisfaction without overworking current employees or spending excess dollars, companies are turning to call center outsourcing.
Why Do Consumers Get Annoyed With Customer Service?
Technology is connecting brands with their consumers in new ways. With that connection, customers expect high levels of personalization in their digital interactions. In fact, based on a recent study, consumers want digital communications to seem like personal interactions. According to the survey, only 45% of customers are “very satisfied” with the attention they receive.
The same study revealed some of the current frustrations consumers have are:
- Waiting too long to speak to a customer service agent
- Making repeated calls to customer support
- Repeating the reason for their calls to multiple agents
- Long or complicated automated phone menus
Omnichannel support solutions and services alleviate customer frustrations by providing 24/7 attention while enhancing all aspects of customer care.
How Do Omnichannel Call Centers Enhance Customer Service?
Omnichannel call center solutions give modern consumers what they want: exceptional, personalized care in the digital sphere.
These are just some ways call centers meet the informational and emotional needs of customers:
- Wait Times: Today’s consumers want quick and efficient service interactions, no matter the time of day or night. Most customers will only wait 11 minutes before hanging up and moving on.
Omnichannel call centers provide a sizable team of industry-specific educated agents who can quickly assess the customer’s needs. Plus, since all of your communication channels are integrated via call center software, consumers can easily have their issues escalated without an extended wait time.
- Inquiry Repetition: 70% of customers in the U.S. expect customer service agents to know their personal information—from contact information to purchase and inquiry history.
Inbound call centers securely store personal data so consumers can receive personalized attention swiftly. Plus, since call centers provide product support, they can handle the task of keeping data up-to-date.
- Knowledgeable Agents: 22% of customers feel poorly trained agents are the biggest frustration regarding customer service. Since call centers utilize highly trained agents with a background in various industries, when consumers contact your business, you can be assured that the interaction will always be professional and informed.
- Self-Service: Not all consumers want to go through agents to resolve an issue or conduct a service. In fact, 81% of customers would prefer more options for self-service. However, just because they want automated options doesn’t mean they want the interaction to feel cold. Technology like IVR allows consumers a self-service opportunity but with the feel of a human interaction.
Omnichannel Support Solutions & Call Center Services
No matter the industry, Five Star Call Centers can help enhance customer care while providing product and technical support. With nearly 40 years of expertise in customer service, we can tailor a plan to meet your company’s unique needs.
Connect with us today and learn how we can help.
Looking for data on how our award-winning services can benefit you? Read our case studies for more reasons to partner with Five Star Call Centers.
