In today's highly competitive business landscape, exceptional customer service is more critical than ever. Organisations have realised that going above and beyond can drive customer loyalty, brand reputation and long-term success – and at Crossfuze, we know that this is what sets companies apart.
In a recent survey of 18,520 customers from more than 20 different countries, it was discovered that, next to product quality and value, high-quality service is the most important factor in ensuring that customers become dedicated brand evangelists. At the same time, 73% of consumers are likely to switch brands after having a negative customer experience.
It’s perhaps little wonder, then, that 63% of companies today are investing more time and resources into improving the customer experience. They’re putting more into customer data analytics, automation, self-service, customer service agility, digital channels and data security – and it doesn’t stop there.
It’s time to keep up – and then get ahead
As the customer service landscape continues to evolve at pace, it’s time to keep up with some of the latest and most influential trends that are shaping customer service management in 2023 – and outline how a Customer Service Management (CSM) platform can help you get ahead.
- Personalisation and customer journey mapping
Let’s start with one of the most significant trends in customer service management today. Customers now expect tailored experiences that cater to their individual needs and preferences. Businesses are leveraging advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to gain deeper insights into customer behavior and create personalised interactions across multiple touchpoints.
By mapping customer journeys, companies can identify pain points, optimise processes and enhance customer satisfaction. Understanding the end-to-end customer experience allows them to anticipate needs and quickly address concerns.
- Omnichannel support
The rise of digital transformation has given birth to the omnichannel approach, where customers can seamlessly interact with businesses across various channels such as phone, email, live chat, social media, and mobile apps. Customers now demand a consistent and unified experience, regardless of the channel they choose.
To meet this expectation, customer service management must integrate multiple channels into a single platform. This allows for streamlined communication, effortless transitions between channels and a comprehensive view of the customer's history and preferences.
- AI-powered automation and chatbots
AI and automation continue to revolutionise customer service management. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are becoming increasingly prevalent in providing quick and accurate responses to customer queries. These intelligent systems can handle routine inquiries, process transactions and even resolve simple issues, freeing up human agents to focus on complex and value-added tasks.
Advancements in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning have made chatbots more conversational and capable of understanding nuanced customer requests. They can provide 24/7 support, significantly reducing response times and enhancing customer satisfaction.
- Self-service and knowledge management
Gone are the days of resolving one customer issue at a time and logging each inquiry into multiple, disconnected systems. Customers want their issues to be resolved quickly – and business leaders want data from customer interactions faster than ever before. Empowering customers to find answers and resolve issues independently has therefore gained significant traction.
Self-service portals, knowledge bases and FAQ sections are becoming an integral part of customer service management. By providing easily accessible information, businesses can enable customers to find solutions at their convenience. Additionally, knowledge management systems are being utilised to capture, organise and distribute information internally among customer service teams.
- Emphasis on emotional intelligence
While technology plays a crucial role in customer service management, organisations are recognising the importance of emotional intelligence (EI) in delivering exceptional customer experiences. EI refers to the ability to identify and manage emotions, both in oneself and in others.
Customer service representatives with high EI can empathise with customers, effectively handle difficult situations and build rapport. Training programs and recruitment strategies are being developed to prioritise EI, ensuring that customer interactions are handled with care and sensitivity.
- Proactive customer service
Another emerging trend in customer service management is the shift towards proactive customer service. Instead of simply reacting to inquiries or complaints, organisations are proactively engaging with customers to identify and address potential issues before they become problems.
This proactive approach involves using customer data, predictive analytics and AI-powered tools to anticipate customer needs, suggest relevant products or services, and provide personalised recommendations. By being proactive, companies can not only enhance customer satisfaction but also drive revenue growth through cross-selling and upselling opportunities.
- Social media listening and engagement
Social media has become an influential platform for customers to voice their opinions, seek support and share their experiences. Customer service management now involves the active monitoring of social media channels to identify customer sentiments, address concerns and engage in real-time conversations.
Businesses are investing in social media listening tools that track brand mentions, hashtags and customer interactions. By promptly responding to posts and messages, companies can demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction, resolve issues in a public forum and positively influence brand perception.
- Collaboration and knowledge sharing
The very best customer service management solutions today embrace collaboration and knowledge sharing as essential elements for delivering exceptional service. For instance, ServiceNow’s CSM platform enables customer service teams to communicate effectively, share best practices and tap into collective expertise.
By fostering a collaborative environment, organisations can ensure that customer service agents have access to the necessary resources, information and subject matter experts to resolve complex issues. This trend promotes continuous learning, problem-solving and empowers agents to deliver high-quality support.
So, what’s next?
The current heightened interest in customer service management is a good thing – both for businesses and of course for customers too. But things can get complicated quickly. Just look at the few trends we’ve touched upon here and then consider meeting the evolving expectations associated with them.
Investing in customer service management that embraces these trends will therefore lead to sustainable growth and success in the years to come. And in our opinion, ServiceNow’s CSM platform is a great place to start. ServiceNow caters for businesses of all sizes – enabling you to improve service operations and engage customers with digital workflows.
ServiceNow’s omni-channel approach to CSM offers customers a variety of ways to interact with your organisation based on time of day, location or even urgency. It offers multiple ways to engage with agents while keeping all of their information together, so a customer never feels like they have to start over every time they interact with a new agent.
Whether it’s making the most of functionality like the Service Catalog, which enables customers to quickly request the products or services that they would like. (The Service Catalog is linked to digital workflows that automate the request and greatly reduce the need for human touchpoints.) Or whether it’s the ability to improve customer engagement via various forms of self-service, ServiceNow’s platform offers customers a seamless journey from engagement to delivery. It’s a revolution in customer service management.
