A new report reveals those who consider themselves to be early technology adopters are more than twice as likely to think that customer service is getting better (28 per cent), compared to people who do not consider themselves to be early adopters (13 per cent).
Released by the ECCCSE (European Contact Centre & Customer Service Exchange), and supported by Odigo, the study finds early technology adoption is closely correlated with age, with younger people more likely to consider themselves early adopters. Indeed, two-thirds (66 per cent) of people – across the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain – aged 18-24 and 64 per cent of those aged 25-34 consider themselves early technology adopters, compared with just 25 per cent of those aged over 65.
The younger cohorts are naturally aligned with the self-serve and digital channels brands are putting central to their customer engagement and service strategies. Given these age groups are digital natives and use the channels daily, they are more likely to find them self-explanatory and easy to use.
However, with AgeUK finding older people are at risk of being excluded from services and support in an ever-more digital world, businesses need to ensure they’re not inadvertently preventing people from accessing services. Importantly, the report does highlight that it’s not necessarily the case that older generations reject self-serve and digital channels like chatbots and website Q&As. Rather they need more convincing and support to use them appropriately.
Melissa Cowdry, director of field marketing at Odigo comments, “Successful customer service depends on the capacity to engage with and service all customers, regardless of age. To avoid more mature customers feeling like they can’t get the best customer experience, businesses should look to provide a comprehensive customer experience, driven by AI and data, which utilises both digital and voice-led channels.”
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