Consumers overwhelmingly agree that their customer service needs are not being met, especially within the mobile channel, according to a survey from Contact Solutions, a provider of cloud-based and mobile customer self-service solutions.
The survey, conducted in late 2013 and taken by more than 1,200 consumers, set out to examine customer satisfaction and adoption rates of mobile customer service tools.
Despite the fact that digital and mobile technologies have become ubiquitous, there are still the same archaic complaints, including taking too long to solve simple problems; having to repeat information constantly, and having to make multiple attempts to solve a problem because of the inconvenience of having to use the web or a phone call when they cannot solve their issues in the mobile app.
In addition to the problems consumers report facing frequently, two additional common complaints were uncovered during the survey. The first complaint was that consumers felt they couldn't solve problems on-the-go. A contributor to that issue was the follow-up complaint that consumers weren't able to easily switch conversation methods, and they weren't able to stop and start customer service conversations on their own time, when it was convenient for them.
"The data in this survey doesn't lie---consumers are fundamentally unhappy with the state of customer service, especially when it comes to their mobile service interactions," said Michael Boustridge, CEO, Contact Solutions, in a statement. "The first line of defense against customer complaints is your contact center, and to start meeting the needs of customers, companies must develop a strategy that effectively meets the needs of consumers, while also providing them with a positive, interactive engagement with the brand."
In the corresponding white paper, "A Fractured Experience: The break in mobile brand experience when it comes to customer care," Contact Solutions addresses consumers' current perceptions of mobile self-service solutions, as well as how to begin changing those perceptions by examining the following findings:
- Shopping and communication channels have changed with apps and mobile adoption but customer care isn't keeping up.
- Consumers are clear on what features they want with customer care and they all point to a mobile opportunity.
- Picking up a phone and dialing a 1-800 number is deeply engrained in the consumer's behavior pattern when they have a problem, but they really just want their problem solved and there are now much more efficient ways to solve those problems.
- Mobile security is on consumers' minds. Enterprises must address this.
- Enterprises have a false sense of security when it comes to providing good service.