Customer service has always been essential to business but has become more critical post-pandemic. In the competitive modern landscape, it’s not enough for brands to provide high-quality products and services; they must also provide top-notch customer experiences.
As we prepare to say goodbye to 2023, now is the perfect time to reassess your CX strategies, identifying what you’re doing right and what can be improved. Start the new year by familiarizing yourself with the emerging customer service trends 2024, and find out how you can incorporate each trend into your overall CX strategy.
What Are the Most Relevant Customer Service Trends 2024?
You may ask yourself, “What are some emerging trends in customer service?” With the swift progress of technology and ever-evolving customer expectations, it’s no surprise that businesses can sometimes find themselves out of the loop while developing their CX strategy.Â
To retain your competitive edge and provide buyers with the service they deserve, stay up-to-date on the industry’s latest trends. Here are just a few of the developments you should keep an eye on this coming year:
#1: Rise of ChatGPTÂ
No other modern innovation has attracted as much attention as ChatGPT, the highly advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by OpenAI. Using machine learning (ML) techniques and natural language processing (NLP), the AI tool generates short- and long-form written texts based on user prompts.
With the rapid development of ChatGPT, companies worldwide sought innovative ways to incorporate this technology into their operations. A Forbes study found that over 97% of executives believe ChatGPT will add value to their business.
In particular, the customer service industry was eager to leverage ChatGPT to support their brand representatives. The same study reported that 64% of business owners think AI chatbots can help them improve customer relationships.
Truthfully, the AI chatbot cannot replace human customer support agents. However, it can be valuable for collating answers to consumers’ most commonly asked questions, responding promptly to social media or live chat inquiries, generating templates for automated emails, and creating notification messages for in-app users.
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AI-Powered Customer ServiceÂ
Beyond ChatGPT and chatbots, other AI tools are becoming more commonplace in business. For instance, some contact centers are leveraging natural language processing (NLP) tools and AgentAssist technologies to help support agents better understand what customers say, preventing frustrations and misunderstandings.
Another example of a practical use of AI in customer support is creating knowledge-based content. Studies have found that 80% of buyers prefer to resolve problems independently or search for answers before seeking the guidance of a customer service agent.Â
Call centers keep detailed records of each customer interaction. As such, AI tools can sift through mountains of data and create summaries of the most common issues, which can then be used to produce online FAQs and self-help documents for clients.
Additionally, business leaders are exploring the advantages of generative AI for improving customer experiences. Some organizations use this AI software to design engaging landing pages, provide algorithm-enabled product recommendations, and more personalized communication for tickets and live chat.
#2: Humanized and Personalized Support
Despite the growing prevalence and widespread use of artificial intelligence in customer service, business leaders must not assume that buyers always want to speak to converse with chatbots.
Studies have found that 70% of consumers prefer speaking to human agents over the phone rather than engaging with AI chatbots. Additionally, 61% desire personalized communication instead of automated messages, whether they reach out through email, social media, or live chat.
Even in the Age of AI, facilitating human interactions should be a top priority for customer service leaders. The key to success is finding a balance between automation and humanized support.Â
Chatbots and other AI tools can support customer service teams by speeding up response times, answering common and easy-to-resolve inquiries, and providing an integrated experience across platforms. However, customer support agents are essential for handling complex and novel problems, providing empathetic support, and adding a human touch to each interaction.
#3: Seamless Omnichannel ExperiencesÂ
The demand for omnichannel strategies was one of the top customer service trends in 2023, and it continues to be a priority for businesses for the coming new year.
In the past, omnichannel support was seen as a competitive edge only large and well-established enterprises could implement. Today, it is an expectation that shapes the future of customer interactions.
Research shows that companies with strong omnichannel systems have a significantly higher customer retention rate (89%) than those with weak multi-channel strategies (33%).
Whether they interact with you over the phone or through live chat, customers desire the same quality of service and brand messaging. In case they decide to communicate with you through a different platform, they still expect your CS team to have access to their previous messages and other relevant information.Â
Investing in omnichannel support can help you live up to your customer’s needs and expectations, creating a fully integrated and fluid experience that resonates across platforms.
#4: Growing Need for Multilingual Solutions
Consumers can purchase products and services from brands across different countries and continents as the world becomes increasingly interconnected. For this reason, businesses can no longer assume that all their customers speak the same language.
Consider investing in multilingual support to ensure buyers can communicate with you easily and comfortably. Working with bilingual Spanish-speaking customer support agents can be a particularly good investment because of the growing Latino population in the U.S. and worldwide.
According to NielsenIQ, Hispanic Americans make up about 19% of the total United States population. By providing multilingual support, you can provide more personalized customer service for this massive untapped market, sending them the message that you care about them and value their business.
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#5: On-Demand Availability Through After-Hour Calls
In addition to offering support in whichever language and platform your consumers prefer, you must also consider the time they choose to contact customer service. If your business caters to clients across the globe and in different time zones, you can’t expect them to only reach out during your regular office hours.
Studies have found that one of people’s “most disliked” aspects of customer service is only being able to reach your CS team at certain hours of the day. To avoid this problem, many businesses have outsourced after-hour calls to accommodate customers beyond their employees’ nine-to-five shifts.
Working with a call center can enable businesses to provide 24/7 customer service, ensuring that there will always be someone around to reply to any inquiries or concerns in real-time, no matter the hour or day.
#6: Empathetic Billing and Collections
The billing and collections process is one part of the customer journey that many business owners often overlook when developing their CX strategy. However, it is a critical point of contact between consumers and brands, and getting it wrong can turn a once-loyal buyer into a disgruntled customer.
Think about it: If a person experiences difficulty making a purchase, finds numerous errors in their billing statements, or gets confused by unclear payment terms, they will be unlikely to do business with you again.
By viewing billing and collections as a critical part of the customer experience, brands can create a more positive relationship with buyers, improving overall loyalty and retention.
#7: Industry-Specific Call Center Services
Finally, another emerging customer service trend for this upcoming year is the growing need for industry-specific call center services. For instance, the travel and tourism sector is rebounding post-pandemic, as more customers book their next vacation without fearing COVID restrictions and lockdowns.
Tourism agencies have opted to delegate customer service tasks to offshore BPOs to keep pace with the rising volume of travelers. Examples of commonly outsourced tasks for this industry include flight and accommodation booking assistance, email support, multilingual solutions, and help to find directions and travel routes.
Aviation Industry
Another sector facing a significant post-pandemic rebound is the aviation industry. The problem is that industry-wide worker shortages keep airlines from handling growing consumer demand, with employers struggling to fill one out of seven job openings.
Aviation companies can lighten their core team’s workload by offloading customer service tasks to a BPO. A nearshoring provider can handle everything from flight queries and travel bookings to customer data entry and document processing.
Getting Started: How Outsourcing Helps You Revolutionize Your Customer Support This 2024
Now that you’re familiar with the emerging customer service trends, it’s time to take the next step: making plans to elevate your CX operations. The key is to find your ideal outsourcing partner.
How To Build Your Ideal Customer Service Team
Outsourcing is a relatively simple process that can open up countless opportunities for business growth. Launching your offshore customer service team can be done quickly and efficiently, and you’ll be reaping the returns on your investment in no time. All you have to do is:
- Identify your customer service goals.
- Look for BPO companies that can meet your needs.
- Send a formal Request for Proposal (RFP).
- Negotiate your agreement.
- Set KPIs for your outsourced team.
Keep Up With the Latest Customer Service Trends 2024 With SuperStaff
Are you ready to begin your customer service outsourcing journey? Connect with SuperStaff to start reinventing your CX strategy as early as today.
Our team understands the ever-shifting demands of today’s consumers, and we prioritize staying updated on the latest customer service trends. This 2024, let us be your strategic partner as you navigate these uncharted waters, providing the highest service standards while offering flexibility and resilience amid uncertainty.
Get in touch with us today, and let us help you position your brand for success!
