Four ways to improve CX and increase customer loyalty
Zendesk has released its 2020 report on CX trends, analyzing how businesses can drive customer loyalty. According to Zendesk, currently, customer expectations are at an all-time high. Half of customers will switch to a competitor after just one bad experience, and 80% will leave after multiple bad experiences. The research also reveals that service is a primary driver of customer loyalty, second only to price in determining whether customers feel loyal to a brand.
“We are in an entirely new era of customer expectations to such an extent that service can make or break a company,” said Elisabeth Zornes, chief customer officer at Zendesk. “To build a loyal customer base and truly differentiate themselves, companies of all sizes across industries and geographies must provide an easy and frictionless customer experience, earning and re-earning a customer’s business with every interaction.”
While customer expectations continue to rise, the "Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2020" shows that companies aren’t living up to these expectations. For example, according to the report many of the channels people want for fast, efficient resolution aren't being offered. Only one-third of companies offer self-service options like knowledgebase help centers, and less than one-third offer chat, social messaging, in-app messaging, bots, or communities.
At the same time, businesses are facing competition from companies that are providing purpose-driven solutions that are in service of the customer, raising the stakes for everyone.
According to the report, the most successful companies do the following:
1-Maintain one seamless conversation
Customers today expect uninterrupted conversations that don’t start or stop in the middle of their interaction or get lost in a different communication channel.
2-Harness customer data
When it comes to data, customers are less concerned about privacy than they were a year ago. In 2019, Zendesk research showed 28% of those 55 and above in the U.S. wanted to share as little data as possible, whereas this year that number has dropped to 12%. Customers prefer companies to keep track of their data if it leads to better experiences, with more than 75% of customers wanting the personalization that comes with better insights.
3-Embrace AI
AI is the future of customer service, and there is still a huge opportunity for companies to starttaking advantage of the technology, says Zendesk, noting that the report shows that only 37% of CX teams are using AI. High-performing CX teams are twice as likely to embrace AI, incorporating the technology across more channels and interactions with customers, Zendesk says.
4-Give CX a seat in the C-suite
More companies are realizing the value of prioritizing the CX and forward-thinking companies are bringing in leaders who can understand and champion the customer.
The report can be accessed at www.zendesk.com/customer-experience-trends.