October 22, 2014
For a call center to achieve greatness, it must go above and beyond simply meeting basic expectations. According to a recent study, this does not necessarily mean strictly adhering to traditional customer service principles. More customers are from a younger generation that has grown up with technology; the old techniques won’t work as well anymore.
The article cited a study that found that Millennials make up a higher percentage of the customer base than before and will outnumber Baby Boomers in 15 years. Since they are more likely to buy groceries at a convenience store than at a grocery store and prefer upscale fast-food restaurants to traditional ones, speed and efficiency are more important to them than friendly service.
Millennials are more likely to consult their online social networks when making a purchase than to consult an industry expert. When they need support, they prefer to go online to find a solution before speaking to a customer service representative ( – ).
An omni-channel approach to customer support will be the best way to assist both traditional and non-traditional customers. The old-school customer who wants to interact with a person will get what they want, and millennials will get the speed they want.
Omni-channel systems must also keep track of the context of every customer interaction. If a customer has visited a self-service portal, sent an email, and messaged a customer service representative via instant messaging, they don’t want to have to go over everything again when following up with the next customer service representative.
This tracking must go beyond simply tracking a single incident—it means maintaining a history for each customer. Understanding a customer’s tendencies makes it easier to accommodate their unique preferences and better manage call queues based on urgency.
A one-size-fits-all approach to customer support won't cut it in 2014; the customer base is more sophisticated than that. A winning strategy accommodates all the different possible means of communication, is fast and efficient, eliminates frustration, and provides customers with more than just answers—it provides them with the .
