Customer service in the news – w/c 10th September
This week – voice command’s increasing influence in customer service, why loyalty costs less than new customers and where service quality beats price.
Hello Michael: BMW to develop voice assisted technology kit
BMW has joined the AI assistance race by introducing voice command technology to its operating system.
The car maker follows competitor Mercedes-Benz in developing its own tech, instead of partnering up with big players such as Amazon, Google or Microsoft. Although, the AI will compatible with other digital assistants such as Alexa or Siri.
BMW owners will be able to adjust lighting or change the radio without lifting a finger and sophisticated machine learning and regular updates will allow the AI to learn with drivers over time. This will include the addition of new functions and skills.
Voice command is the latest area in which the automotive industry is firing on all cylinders to keep up with Silicon Valley, alongside self-driving cars.
Read the article here.
…. but is voice command REALLY the future of customer service?
With automotive giants like BMW and Mercedes-Benz joining the world’s biggest companies in developing their own voice command AI, it looks set to have a huge influence on the world of customer service over the next decade. And US-based customer service influencer, Micah Solomon, writing in Forbes, agrees.
But, the author says the future is not a one-size-fits-all scenario and businesses need to make sure they offer various channels of customer communication that complement voice command tech.
A holistic approach to customer service is crucial. Consumers want a multichannel approach and wish for the opportunity to be able to talk to a human agent at any point if necessary. Read his argument here.
A loyal customer is five times cheaper than a new one
Business magazine Entrepreneur India reports that it costs a business five times more to acquire a new customer than it does to keep an existing one happy, following new research that adds science to the commonly held notion.
Nourishing client relationships will not only help companies build a loyal customer base but will also create positive word of mouth to help boost new leads. After all, people are more inclined to trust their friends or family with recommendations than a sales person they have never met before, argues Entrepreneur India’s Shahram Warsi.
Business founders, owners and franchisors alike need to invest – sooner than later – in the customer relationship and treat loyal consumers like family members. Read the article here.
Customer service trumps price
According to new research, B2B clients would choose top-class customer service over delivery speed and pricing any time.
The survey, from e-commerce agency PushOn, found that almost everybody valued service above all else.
More than half of people it spoke to said they would choose a retailer without hesitation if they were confident that the company can offer them excellent support that is tailored to them.
This could be something as simple as offering a live chat option and a ‘call now’ button in all online portals should customers need further assistance by a human agent. Read the article here.
Banking gets personal
The financial services sector is entering a ‘new era of customer engagement’ according the latest edition of Digital Banking Report.
It includes new research that found banks and credit unions are increasing their investment into personalized customer service and building human connections with clients to meet today’s expectations.
The study suggests that competing on price and product is no longer enough and to stay ahead a more emotional style of customer engagement is needed to address their clients’ needs. Read the article here.
And finally…
If you will excuse us sharing some of our news this time, Arvato CRM Solutions was this week recognised as a ‘Leader’ by leading analyst NelsonHall’s NEAT vendor evaluation for Digital Customer Experience Services.
It called out our ability to create immediate business and cost benefits for clients using our own conversational AI tech, CX innovation, partnership and mature self-service offering.
Author: Editorial team Future. Customer.
