Customer service is one of the biggest differentiators for companies in terms of whether or not they are chosen by their customers, and investing in this strategy and everything technology can deliver is crucial.
Changes in customer service are constant, especially when it comes to digital transformation and innovations in the digital world. Therefore, monitoring trends , understanding what makes sense for your scenario, and investing in differentiation is a task that cannot be put off.
Let's talk a little more about customer service and some trends your business needs to consider in its planning. Stay tuned!
An overview of customer service in Brazil
Customer service has changed, and consumers have noticed many positive changes. A survey showed that 70% of respondents believe customer service has improved.
Customer service is one of the heartbeats of a company , and with changing customer profiles, the introduction of various technologies and communication channels, and the evolution of consumer behavior and expectations, it is essential that companies update themselves to meet the demands of today's market.
When we look at the current customer service landscape in Brazil, the arrival of new customer service channels and the beginning of digitalization are already yielding results. While people used to simply call the company's phone number, today there are many contact options, including chatbots, live chat with agents, knowledge bases, social media, and more.
And, more than that, personalization is increasingly key to customer service: 77% of consumers are willing to exchange data to receive faster, more personalized experiences based on their values. Not only that, but 73% will switch to a competitor after several bad experiences.
To help you better understand what's already happening and what's coming even stronger in customer service, we've put together 6 trends for your business to keep on your radar.
1. Personalizing the experience
Personalizing the customer journey is key to delivering increasingly personalized and differentiated experiences, increasing brand value with their audiences. When it comes to customer service, this personalization cannot be overlooked, and it goes far beyond simply calling the customer by name.
Comprehensive strategies are essential, regardless of the channels used, to ensure your customer always feels unique and special. According to the report , 71% of consumers expect personalized experiences, and 76% feel frustrated when they don't.
When a customer contacts a company, regardless of the type of service they're seeking, they want to be heard and feel important to the business. It's therefore essential to deliver what the customer wants, at every point in the journey.
Personalization offers significant benefits for your business, such as increased conversions, increased word-of-mouth and spontaneous referrals from customers to other potential audiences, and, of course, increased customer satisfaction.
2. Efficient Omnichannel
Being omnichannel means having a comprehensive integration strategy between online and offline channels , offering a seamless and consistent customer experience. When it comes to customer service, it's impossible to offer experience and personalization without an efficient omnichannel approach.
Imagine your customer contacts you through various channels to ask questions or make a complaint. If they have to tell and repeat their entire story with each contact, their experience will certainly be affected, and their satisfaction with the brand will be less than positive.
Channels must offer the same context, ensuring a seamless communication and customer journey , even across diverse interactions. No matter when, where, or how the customer contacts you, they must have the same experience across all channels—after all, they're talking to a single brand.
It's important to emphasize that this applies to both online and offline environments . Whether on the website or in-store, everything needs to be integrated and meaningful throughout the customer journey.
3. Balance between technology and humanization of care
Technology is important, but it can't be the only interface with the customer when it comes to service. Think about yourself as a consumer; it's incredibly frustrating trying to contact a company and only getting canned responses and programmed chatbots, isn't it?
Many requests can be resolved quickly with the help of technology, but having people available to assist is crucial. Research from IDC and LogMeIn shows that 89% of consumers won't give up human support , even with the promise of ease of automated support.
Invest in technology, but be careful not to eliminate all your human aspects ; after all, people want to talk to people.
4. Proactive approach to anticipating needs
Another growing trend is the proactive approach. Customer service involves more than just waiting for communications to resolve issues; it also involves knowing your audience, understanding their needs and desires, and proactively anticipating the best offers.
You need to be in the right place at the right time. To achieve this, it's crucial for companies to invest in data analysis to increasingly understand customer behavior and preferences. After all, only with data can we create analyses and predict future consumer needs.
Additionally, invest in proactive communication. Instead of waiting for customers to contact you, adopt an approach of anticipating and communicating with the consumer. This could include sending emails or messages with personalized offers, contract renewal reminders, or updates on relevant products and services, for example.
5. Cross-sector collaboration for a holistic experience
Another aspect that needs to be considered when it comes to customer service is collaboration between departments within the company. Just as communication channels need to communicate with each other to convey a single, fluid message, teams also need to be aligned.
Imagine we're talking about a company with a physical store: if a customer seeks service in person, they can't expect to hear different answers on the same topic. Everyone needs to be aligned to deliver a single message to the consumer.
Therefore, it is necessary to have integration between departments, from sales, marketing, customer service, product development and many others, information sharing, customer-centric and shared responsibilities.
Internal communication needs to work so it can be reflected externally. Remember that everyone deals with customers, and even if they're not on the front lines, customer success is the success of the business. Therefore, customer service can't be an isolated action.
6. Feedback as a tool for process improvement
There's no one better at providing guidance than customers themselves, so it's important to listen to them. Conducting surveys, such as NPS, encouraging customers to leave reviews on your pages, and creating ways to collect these opinions are key steps in this process.
Seek out your customers' opinions and show them that your business cares. It's not just about receiving feedback, but also taking real action to change and being open to both positive and negative topics.
Analyze what your customers say, identify patterns and trends, understand strengths and weaknesses, and use this tool to grow and improve customer service and other areas of your company.
Customer Service Statistics You Need to Know
- Only 11% of Brazilian consumers are completely satisfied with the quality of customer service. ( Hibou Survey )
- 50% of consumers believe that quality service is essential for brand loyalty. (Hibou)
- 53.9% of consumers abandon a brand after two or three bad customer service experiences. (Hibou)
- 66% of consumers want customer service interactions to stay current. ( Zendesk CX Trends 2023 )
- 62% of consumers believe experiences should flow seamlessly between physical and digital environments. (Zendesk CX Trends 2023)
- 70% of Brazilian customers believe that customer service has improved between 2020 and 2022. ( Capterra )
- 63% of customers feel they are important to the company. (Capterra)
- 37% of customers feel like they're being a nuisance when they contact customer service. (Capterra)
- 82% of Brazilian consumers make purchasing decisions based on the quality of customer service. ( Meio e Mensagem )
- 96.7% of consumers consider customer service satisfactory when they are listened to by an attendant.
- 43% of Brazilian consumers feel that customer service is still secondary to companies. ( TI Inside )
- 99% of consumers say they would spend more with companies that personalize the customer service experience. (TI Inside)
- 70% of companies report having a three-year strategic plan for customer service. ( TI Inside )
- 95% of customers want to be able to find the answers they need on their own. (Zendesk)
- 58% of Brazilian consumers prefer to resolve customer service issues through digital channels. (Capterra)
- 42% of Brazilian consumers expect companies to respond to their customer service requests within 24 hours. (Capterra)
- Brazilian consumers are willing to pay up to 17% more for products and services from companies that offer excellent customer service. (Forrester Research)
Conclusion
In a scenario of constant evolution and digital transformation, customer service is one of the key competitive differentiators for companies. Therefore, investing in strategies aimed at personalized experiences , efficient omnichannel integration, humanization , and other techniques are essential to meet growing consumer expectations.
Investing in and staying ahead of trends is crucial to promoting significant improvements and changes in your operations and positioning yourself positively in your customer relationships.
your customer service and going? Now that you know more about industry trends, understand what can be incorporated or encouraged in your environment, and differentiate yourself!
And now that you know more about the topic, understand how we can help you on this journey!
