Are you getting through?

The customer experience lives and dies at the point of contact.  A brand's reputation and the loyalty built up with its customers can be destroyed in minutes.  With the speed and proliferation of communications enabled by the digital world, never has there been such a risk, or opportunity, associated with customers interacting with one another. 

As a result, brands are under increasing pressure to deliver an exceptional customer experience across all channels.  The contact centre is the first and last line of defence - so how do companies win on this emerging battleground?

Customer perceptions

The first hurdle is understanding the customer's perception of the experience being delivered.  Research has proved that a customer judges a company's image based on their interaction with the contact centre[1].

Despite the contact centre world approaching its 30^th birthday, the public's perception of them is generally still negative.  Historically this has been attributed to long wait times on voice calls or the quality of staff responses.  But the telephone is still popular simply because there's another person on the end of the line.

However, customer interaction is no longer confined to voice.  Customer-oriented brands have long-focused on the integration of relevant channels, including 24/7 web chat and email, to satisfy the most demanding of customers.  Immediacy of response is now a key driver - a European survey recently highlighted that 84% of respondents expected a response within 24 hours - with 36% of people thinking a response within 1 hour should be possible[2].

So, how important is customer experience in building customer loyalty? Outstanding customer service still remains the main reason why consumers will recommend a company, with a recent survey highlighting that 53% of people view this as a key differentiator3.  This is where brands such as Amazon and American Express have succeeded.

Conversely, consumers are much more likely to pass on details of negative experiences, whilst many will stop doing business with a company because of a negative customer experience[3]. The trend is representative of today's 'digital' society - one that is demanding and unforgiving. 

Customer in the driving seat

There is no doubt that social media has changed the customer service landscape.  Web 2.0 has meant customers no longer need an invite to engage in conversation and are empowered to share their experiences - good or bad.  

Both in the US and Europe, brands are using social media channels as an integral part of the customer experience - for example Dell's IdeaStorm allows customers to give feedback, make suggestions on Dell products and has over 60,000 registered users.   Others still lag behind this trend and brands in Asia Pacific are primarily using social media as a one-way sales channel rather than a two-way service opportunity.  Interacting with customers via social media can not only enhance a brand's value, but also can quickly quell a firestorm, turning a negative perception or experience into a positive one. 

Balancing new with old

Contact centres still need to provide a responsive service and cost efficient solution.  However they also need to demonstrate an acute ability to adapt and meet customer's expectations for a quality, relevant and personalised level of service.  How can brands achieve this?

Design the overall customer experience and ensure consistency across channels.  Lexus redefined their automotive purchasing experience and process around the customer and have since been consistently at the top of customer satisfaction surveys - holding the top position in the JD Power survey for over 8 years.

• Focus on service quality, not just the cost of delivery.  Learn from the experience of UK banks such as Nat West and Lloyds TSB who outsourced and off-shored customer service to locations unacceptable to their customers and promptly had to redesign the experience. Luxury retailer Harrods wanted to service its top tier clients using a local contact centre operation which could cater for their local cultural needs. However other companies such as ABN Amro, Shell & Volkswagen have successfully off shored operations to locations like South Africa which is a popular emerging location due to the similar time-zones, language and culture.
• Differentiate the service provided by customer segment according to their needs and the cost/value to the business. For example, British Airways and HSBC have dedicated customer service teams for top tier clients.
• Pilot ways of supporting customers through new channels.  Ask your customers how they want you to engage with them and then provide a tailored customer experience to meet those needs. Hotel chains and airlines are quite advanced with their social media strategies, but in comparison many retailers still lack a presence in this new environment. 
• Strive for a 360 degree view of the customer experience to support the most appropriate way in which to engage with customers. Many organisations have integrated phone and online/email channels, but this needs to be taken to the next level with social media tracking and integrated CRM capabilities to enable representatives to 'wow' their customers.

Is the battle won?

Not yet.  Brands must find a way of meeting the needs of customers for a personalised and relevant experience across all channels.  They also need to meet the business requirements in delivering a consistent and cost effective service - ultimately supporting and driving customer loyalty and profitability.

Delivering an exceptional customer experience has never been more challenging. However the opportunities are there for the taking - and the contact centre is at the cold front in winning this battle.