Just how frustrating can contacting customer service be? According to a new survey from Aspect, four in ten Americans (42 percent) say they would rather experience a trip to the DMV than have to contact customer care. Adding insult to injury, 64 percent agree they do not feel they are treated like valued customers when they interact with customer service.
This high level of irritation comes at a time when consumers have more channels to interact with brands than ever before. The good news? Seventy-seven percent of Americans think that companies that offer multiple channels as part of their customer service are easier to do business with and 74 percent say they provide better service.
What’s more, 67 percent agree they feel more in control of their relationship with a company when it offers multiple channels for customer service. And customers’ view of how companies use social media channels is rather telling. Forty-two percent of consumers say they’d rather have companies use social media for good customer service than to promote their products.
These findings reinforce the idea that brands need to rise to the occasion and show customers the love. As the contact center is emerging as the new center of the customer experience, companies must begin addressing the table stakes and eliminate common customer frustrations, like having to repeat themselves and waiting a long time to get their issue resolved. At the same time, brands must move toward the gold standard multi-channel experience, where interactions can begin in one channel and seamlessly move to another. Only then, when customers feel the love, with they reciprocate with brand loyalty and ultimately, advocacy.