If you were onboard a Delta airlines flight recently, the sleek gadget sported by the in-flight attendants would have surely caught your eye. The airline distributed over 19,000 Windows based Nokia Lumia820 phones to its in-flight attendants to enable faster and smoother on-board communications.
With the new Windows device, flight attendants are able to offer real-time credit card processing for onboard purchases, along with e-receipts that can be emailed to the passengers instantly. In future, the gadget will also provide passenger-specific information to the attendants allowing them to extend more personalized and hassle-free service to each passenger.
In an industry that is struggling with soaring fuel prices, varying passenger demands, high costs of labor and a slowdown in the global economy, this move will certainly help Delta airlines “fly” above the rest, at least in the customer service domain.
Is this a case of technology changing the way customer service is executed? Or, is it a case of marketing constantly finding newer ways to leverage technology? Either way, what were once considered distinctly separate domains, are now converging at every step to deliver a seamless customer experience.
As this vision sharpens, the use of metrics such as customer effort score (CES), customer satisfaction (CSAT), etc., is also evolving qualitatively. Next-generation customer care will be much more than issue resolution—and will be focused on delivering the highest value to customers at every touch point. Tomorrow’s enterprises will be customer-centric organizations driven by the ability to leverage customer insights and turn them into actionable data for enhanced customer service!
The demand for customized and quick service is at an all-time high, and brands are leaving no stone unturned to deliver superior experience for their customers. Brands (both B2B and B2C) are conscious of the needs of the consumer and are not willing to let any opportunity for improved customer service pass by. The focus is on delighting customers at every step—especially by reducing the “effort” they have to invest in getting an issue resolved/or a service executed. This is driving the implementation of technologies that support location-based campaigns, behavior segmentation, social monitoring tools or automated live chats, etc.
Is technology really a game-changer for the customer service industry? Which companies do you think are best using technology to improve the customer experience? Would love to hear your thoughts!
Note: The blog originally appeared in MinacsBlogs and has been republished here with permission.
