54 per cent of UK shoppers don’t care whether customer service is provided by a bot or a human, as long as their issue is resolved fast, according to a new study from Genesys®
The research found that only 28 per cent of respondents say that they would never deal with a bot, while 48 per cent say that they use bots for solving simple and transactional queries, such as checking a bank account balance. However, 57 per cent said that they would wait for 10 minutes to get help from a human customer service agent rather than spend five minutes solving their issue with assistance from a voice or chatbot. UK consumers (51 per cent) also say that contacting customer services by phone still gets the best outcome.
“While consumers are becoming more confident with interacting with bots, the human touch in customer service is still critical,” said Brendan Dykes, senior director solution and product marketing, Genesys. “Businesses need to provide a blended approach to service, where bots and human employees work together seamlessly to benefit the overall experience for consumers.”
Customers most frustrated with long hold times
Whether businesses interact with customers via bots or by phone, they need to ensure that they provide the best possible experience to protect their reputations. As consumers expect more personalised services today, it is critical that employees and bots provide accurate information to queries in a timely manner, without asking the customer to repeat information.
In the UK, consumers find it most frustrating when:
- They are left on hold. Customers are willing to wait on hold, but only to a point. They also expect companies to respect their time. Respondents said being put on hold for more than five minutes is the most irritating factor in a customer service experience (43 per cent). More than two thirds (67 per cent) will hang up if left on hold for too long, with 31 per cent only willing to wait for up to five minutes and 36per cent ready to hang up after 15 minutes
- They have to hear or repeat information multiple times. 40 per cent said they are most irritated by having to say things more than once while 39 per cent are more frustrated by listening to repetitive messages or annoying music while on hold. If they must be subjected to hold music, customers would rather listen to rock/pop (32 per cent) or classical (19 per cent) but more than a fifth (21 per cent) would rather have silence.
- They are in receipt of bad customer experience. The study found that 87 per cent of UK consumers either swear or cry when faced with unacceptable levels of service.
Negative experiences have a dramatic impact
Companies of all sizes should take note that poor customer service has serious consequences. UK consumers are most likely to stop doing business with a company that they’ve had a bad experience with (46 per cent) and are likely to share the negative details with family and friends (45 per cent). Additionally, shoppers in the UK will register a complaint directly with the company using traditional methods such as fixed-line phone or postal service (42 per cent).
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