Yearning for human engagement: Customer service in the next normal

Human interaction is critical to our wellbeing - which is why so many of us struggled during the COVID-19 lockdowns. As Nicholas Christakis at Yale put it, 'The world called on us to suppress our profoundly human and evolutionarily hard-wired impulses for connection: seeing our friends and getting together in groups.' This is why we saw a dramatic rise in the use of apps like Zoom and HouseParty as people found different ways to stay connected.

This yearning for human engagement has driven an important shift for customer service teams. Customer experience can no longer be formulaic: it must be driven by empathy, connection, and the desire to resolve problems actively. And these changes need to be implemented while large parts of the workforce continue working remotely. So how will businesses navigate this change?

Balancing empathy and efficiency

Even before the pandemic, positive human interaction lay at the heart of good customer service. Research from Microsoft found that 72 percent of customers wanted customer service teams to know who they are and what they had previously purchased. What's more, nearly a third of consumers (30 percent) expected customer service associates to be knowledgeable and friendly. Failure to deliver this positive experience can negatively impact Net Promoter Score (NPS) and result in customers turning to the competition.

This need for personalised human engagement has intensified. For businesses, this means a delicate balancing act between empathy and efficiency. Every organisation is looking to streamline operations - the goal is to have associates deal with more enquiries while delivering a higher ratio of positive outcomes. However, an efficient customer service capability that also provides a sensitive, empathetic experience is not as counterintuitive as it may seem. Enter technology and upskilling.

Human plus digital

To deliver a customer experience fit for these times, associates need to be driven by empathy and the resolve to proactively solve customers' problems. This is where technology has a critical role to play as an enabler. By eliminating administrative tasks and equipping customer service teams with data-driven insights, it becomes easier for associates to have positive, empathetic conversations while speedily resolving issues.

Just as important as elevating human interactions is identifying the areas ripe for automation. There are many low-lift, non-strategic engagements where a digital solution can deliver better results. Enterprises should review the customer journey and identify opportunities to deploy automated systems such as chatbots, which consumers are increasingly willing to engage with. Research has found that 30 percent of consumers rate chatbot interactions as 'very effective' when dealing with their queries. Implemented correctly, these systems can quickly resolve simple issues while freeing up associates to focus on more complex problems where human interaction is essential.

Customer service staff also need support and upskilling to help them reshape customer experience using best practices - particularly those managing remote teams. One UK media company provides a strong example. Remote teams were supported with digital training around products, processes, and compliance, supplemented with in-depth training assessments and train-the-trainer initiatives. This resulted in more positive customer interactions across the board: NPS rose by 4.5 while productivity grew by 10 percent.

Get the right guide

Given the disruption that businesses have faced, the task of revamping customer experience can seem daunting. Taking a digital-first approach that supports staff and customers alike makes it possible to drive change fast, effectively, and affordably. Service providers and technology partners act as experienced guides for businesses embarking on this journey.

No one can be certain about what will happen next. However, making the right decisions now can ensure that organisations are ready to surprise and delight customers in the new normal.