In the realm of contact center management, navigating customer frustrations is a daily affair. Each day presents a new set of challenges – resolving issues, lending a sympathetic ear, and rectifying errors. Amidst this whirlwind of activity, a stark reality emerges: customers despise the repetition of their grievances. It’s akin to being trapped in an endless loop of frustration, topping the charts as the number one customer service complaint for 79% of consumers¹.

Mitigating tensions while addressing problems can seem like an insurmountable task, particularly when dealing with already irate customers. In this exploration, part of our ongoing ‘Customer Experience Optimization’ series, we delve into some of the most significant hurdles in customer service and unveil how conversational AI can provide effective solutions, drawing insights from our latest Customer Experience (CX) Benchmark report.

I’m so tired of having to repeat myself again and again.

Does this refrain sound familiar? Nobody relishes the idea of constantly reiterating their concerns, except perhaps your neighbor who can’t stop boasting about their new car. However, it appears that customer support systems haven’t received the memo.

Highlighted as the “biggest customer service frustration” by respondents of the CX Benchmark Report, this grievance transcends industries, genders, and generations. Why does it elicit such ire? It imparts a sense that their time isn’t valued by the company, often occurring during transitions between agents or from digital assistants to live representatives.

Furthermore, most traditional systems falter in seamlessly transferring information during interactions, compounding the issue.

How can this cycle of repetition be broken?

Renowned customer service keynote speaker Shep Hyken once remarked, “If time is money, and it is, then that wasted time over a number of calls can add up to a big number.” Just how significant is this ‘big number’? Consider it to be $75 billion in lost business attributed to subpar customer service. Thus, wasting both your money and your customer’s time is a costly affair.

However, this challenge isn’t insurmountable, especially when considering AI-powered customer service solutions. It’s imperative for customer service centers to embrace intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs) capable of delivering a seamless experience across channels. Ensuring a smooth handover, crucial to 80% of consumers during a transfer, becomes paramount for customer service centers¹.

This transformative conversational AI technology isn’t just a boon for frontline agents; it equips them with essential information at their fingertips, a necessity for 72% of customers¹.

Avoiding the Waiting Game

Customers, balancing work, family, and myriad other obligations, simply don’t have the luxury of time or patience to endure prolonged hold times. Additionally, two-thirds of consumers prioritize speed in their customer service interactions¹.

Why the rush? On average, American consumers spend 13 hours annually waiting on hold, amounting to an estimated $38 billion in monetary costs. This translates to over one hour and approximately $3.2 billion per month – a staggering sum.

What are the repercussions of subjecting customers to extended hold times? Besides the likelihood of customers abandoning the call, it also signals operational inefficiencies and diminishes trust in the information received. Given that accuracy and trust rank among the top 5 criteria for a successful customer service interaction¹, this poses a significant support challenge.