What are the the biggest customer service trends for 2016=2020?

Here is a collection of 15 expert predictions affecting the near future of customer service and the customer experience. It’s time to get ready…

1. 1. In 2015, organizations will extend the power of predictive analytics to offer service tailored to the customer’s profile, historical data of past interactions and transactions, and current situational data such as geographic location, device, and browser. ~Forrester’s Top Trends For Customer Service In 2015

2. Mobile search will generate 27.8 billion more queries than desktop search by 2016 ~BIA/Kelsey Report, 2012

3. By 2016, more than half of the dollars spent in U.S. retail will be influenced by the web. ~Forrester U.S. Cross-channel Retail Forecast, 2011 – 2016

1. 4. By 2017, the global social network audience will total 2.55 billion. ~eMarketer Worldwide Social Network Users: 2013 Forecast and Comparative Estimates
2. 5. By 2017, more than half of consumer product and service R&D investments will be redirected to customer experience innovations. ~ Gartner Top 10 Strategic Predictions for 2015 and Beyond
3. 6. Through 2018, the lack of in-line contextual knowledge or support in mobile applications will lower customer satisfaction by 5%, undermining the enterprise’s mobile strategy. ~ Michael Maoz, Gartner, Knowledge Management will Transform CRM Customer Service
4. 7. By 2017, one third of all customer service interactions will still require the support of a human intermediary (compared to 60% in 2014). ~ Gartner Predicts 2015: Weak Mobile Customer Service Is Harming Customer Engagement
5. 8. By 2018, the rapid creation and retrieval of relevant content (KM) will be a key attribute of leading enterprises. ~ Michael Maoz, Gartner, Knowledge Management will Transform CRM Customer Service
6. 9. By 2018, 50% of agent interactions will be influenced by real-time analytics.~Gartner Predicts 2015: Weak Mobile Customer Service Is Harming Customer Engagement
7. 10. By 2018, 5% of customer service cases will be initiated by Internet-connected devices. ~ Predicts 2015: Weak Mobile Customer Service Is Harming Customer Engagement
8. 11. The customer of 2020 will be more informed and in charge of the experience they receive. They will expect companies to know their individual needs and personalize the experience. Immediate resolution will not be fast enough as customers will expect companies to proactively address their current and future needs. ~ Customers 2020 Report
9. 12. There will be 25 billion connected things (network or internet-enabled devices) – or three for every person on the planet – by the end of 2020. ~ Gartner Predicts 2015: Weak Mobile Customer Service Is Harming Customer Engagement
10. 13. By 2020, the need for a unified consumer omni-channel experience will be complicated by the need for nearly perfect execution. However, expert use of business intelligence tools, coupled with a profound understanding of shoppers‘ needs and experiences in real time, may make omni-channel a realistic goal. ~ PwC Retailing 2020: Winning in a Polarized World
11. 14. By 2020, smart phone applications will proactively inform a shopper regarding specific issues with products or retailers upon entering a retailer‘s brick-and-mortar store or using its website. Brand management by 2020 will need to develop a host of new skills, tools, and communication modes, both nimble and innovative, than are typical today. ~ PwC Retailing 2020: Winning in a Polarized World
12. 15. By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. ~ Customers 2020 Report

 

To have edge over competitors, Companies will always strive hard to build superior brand image,excellent customer service, fast delivery, quick product replacement under guarantee etc. With the advent of new era customer service is taking price and product as key brand differentiation. The other major trends are, mobility, social media, journey mapping to maintain your competitive edge effectively.

Agree with Mr. Mohammed Ziaul Shaik

Ambitious companies that want to thrive in today’s marketplace must focus on delivering exceptional customer service. To win and retain customers, businesses must differentiate themselves from the competition, and customer service is playing a dominant role in achieving this. In fact, 89%of marketing leaders expect to compete primarily on the basis of customer experience by 2016, as compared with 36% four years ago. This seems fitting since even a 10%improvement in CX scores can translate into more than $1 billion in revenue.

Each year it’s essential to know which trends will affect your industry, your employees, and your customers. Here’s what customer service leaders should be focussed on this year.

1) Consistency Across Channels is Vital

With so many ways to interact with companies (e.g. web, social, mobile, voice), it’s only natural for customers to switch channels when one proves to be ineffective. The goal for customers is to receive answers quickly and easily, and if that means jumping from Twitter to email to chat, then so be it! Not surprisingly, 60% of customers actually do this. They’ll change channels depending on where they are and what they’re doing, and will expect a seamless, consistent experience while they’re doing it – across all platforms.

Gartner Research predicts that customers will handle 85% of their relationships with a company without ever interacting with another human by the year 2020. Companies that understand the importance of multi-channel customer service are diligently laying the groundwork to deliver a seamless experience across all mediums.

2) Customer Service Tools Are Critical

Customer service teams are always looking for new ways to operate more efficiently – ways that make the experience better for them, and better for the customers they’re serving.

This year it will be more important than ever for your customer service teams to provide quality support. At the end of the day, it’s all about understanding the customer and predicting what they will want next. So, there’s no better time than the present to implement a strategic cross-channel CRM strategy.

3) The Importance of a Personalized Experience

Today, 99% of consumers think customer service agents sound scripted. But there’s still hope: Research shows that 75% of businesses are committed to creating more personal connections.

The process of personalization can be incredibly powerful. Take this study published in theJournal of Applied Social Psychology, where researchers tested servers in the hospitality industry to examine the effect that mints had against a control group (where no mints were given) in increasing tips.

 

1. The first group had waiters giving mints along with the check, making no mention of the mints themselves. This increased tips by 3% against the control group.

2. The second group had waiters bring out two mints by hand (separate from the check), and they mentioned them to the table (i.e. “Would anyone like some mints before you leave?”). This increased tips by 14% against the control group.

3. The last group had waiters bring out the check first along with a few mints. A short time afterward, the waiters came back with another set of mints and let customers know they had brought out more mints, just in case they wanted another.

 

That last group saw a 21% increase in tips! Researchers found that it was the perceived personalization of bringing out the second set of mints and mentioning it to customers (i.e. “I thought I might see if someone could use an extra mint”) that made the difference. Point being: It had nothing to do with the mints; it was the personalized experience that increased the tip percentage. Keep this study in mind when applying personalization to your customer service teams!

4) Staying in Tune with Social Media Best Practices

Social care is best delivered when employees across departments are trained to engage with customers. As more consumers turn to social media to try and resolve issues, your training requirements will need to keep pace.

In the past two years, there has been a 2.5x increase in customer service conversations on Twitter. In order for brands to keep up, it’s essential that they stay in tune with best practices.  Check out this infographic surveying 14,040 Twitter users who followed or interacted with a brand’s customer service Twitter account. The resulting research displays best practices for brands who want to shift from simply handling customer service to nurturing relationships.

 

UAE LIFE HACK # 1 When calling the Customer Care Hotlines, be sure to check for the Customer Service Rpresentative's aka Call Center Agent's Understanding. Be sure to talk slowly and in Laymens terms and try you're best to Pacify them when they get Irate.

Thank you for the invitation.

It has been noticed that the market growing in the high tech industry and therefore the consumers going same direction.

 

hospitality, and service industry, will be biggest customer trend's for 2016= 2020

hospitaliy product quality speed of service accuracy cleanliness...

Customer service in Telecommunications sector is the biggest customer service in the market and will remain dominant. 

The future trends towards customer service will be the succesful mix of personal service with technology.  No one likes automated systems that never seem to answer everyone's questons.  No one likes to wait on hold waiting for a live person.  The challange will be to reduce waiting times while implementing time saving technology.  It can be and will be done more efficiently by successful companies 

Hospitality and tourism services are the biggest customer service trentds.