Dive Brief:
- About 2 in 5 customers expect brands to respond within five minutes of being contacted with an issue, according to the survey of more than 1,200 consumers released earlier this month by InMoment. The majority, 7 in 10, want to be contacted within an hour.
- Most consumers — 61% — say they expect a solution the first time they contact customer support or else they’ll consider switching brands. Another 57% say they achieved first contact resolution the last time they had a problem with a product or service.
- Only 1 in 5 respondents say they were able to resolve the problem without contacting the brand the last time they had an issue.
Dive Insight:
Consumers want swift, effective support from brands regardless of whether they choose to start with self-service or the customer service hotline.
AI can help speed up resolution, particularly as a support tool for human agents by optimizing the flow of customer support journeys, according to Julie Geller, principal research director at Info-Tech Research Group.
“Smart triage systems can route customers to the right agent based on issue type and skill set,” Geller said in an email. “That leads to fewer transfers, faster resolutions and stronger outcomes. Real speed comes from precision, not volume.”
AI can help customers directly as well. More than 3 in 5 consumers are comfortable or very comfortable with chatbots or AI support when contacting brands, according to the InMoment survey.
However, many of those who dislike AI have strong feelings about the technology. Nearly 2 in 5 of respondents say that AI makes interactions more frustrating, while 1 in 5 consumers say they don’t trust the technology in customer service.
Companies still have an opportunity to use AI without running afoul of customers who would rather avoid interacting with the technology, according to Geller. The key is to design for customer outcomes, rather than company convenience.
“I’ve seen too many brands prioritize internal metrics at the expense of real customer needs,” Geller said. “Endless loops, vague chatbot replies, and multi-email ping-pongs don’t build trust. But if CX leaders reimagine the ideal experience from the customer’s point of view, they can layer AI in more thoughtfully and effectively.”
