In the news – w/c 27th August
This week’s top customer service stories include: why consumers want more transparency from brands on social media and why customer service agents aren’t running scared from AI.
AI fears are just a myth
There’s been lots of fear mongering around the impact that artificial intelligence (AI) will have on the future customer service workforce in particular. It’s been suggested that new technological developments could lead to job losses across the world. But an article in Global Banking and Finance pours cold water on this, claiming that employees are in fact looking forward to the impact that AI could have on their roles.
The article takes its lead from software giant Adobe, which has found that more than two thirds (68 per cent) of workers from the US, UK and India aren’t sweating it over developments in AI. Instead they feel that the new technology could help to complement their work, as they have abilities and skills that technology simply cannot replicate.
Statistics from the latest TCS Global Trends Survey are also called out in the piece, finding that AI’s greatest impact will be on consumer-facing industries such as customer service, sales and marketing. Read the full story here.
Customer service is top of travellers’ must-have list
A study from Google and research consultancy Greenberg, says that top customer service is the main thing that travellers look for when booking flights, hotels, transportation or accommodation.
The pair set out to discover what consumers look for as part of their due diligence ahead of any trip. Two thirds said that they looked for evidence of good customer service, followed by half that trawled online reviews from other travellers and 46 per cent want a good loyalty programme.
The study’s authors say that brands can encourage ‘attitudinal’ loyalty – which is linked to customers’ feelings – by offering them an outstanding level of support. Read the full story here.
Social media: brands should be more transparent than politicians
US consumers – 86 per cent of them in fact – want brands to be more transparent on social media before trying to build relationships with them. They said it was more important that businesses were transparent than politicians…
But, looking at respondents’ feedback, it wouldn’t take much for brands to meet consumers expectations, and taking simple steps such as admitting mistakes and responding honestly to customers can help them to improve their connection.
Sprout Social, the social management platform behind the study, says it’s time for brands to realize that social media isn’t about pushing messaging or promotions, but is an effective way to build long-lasting and effective relationships with customers. Read the full story here.
Author: Editorial team Future. Customer.
