While complicated customer service issues are still largely solved by human beings, the majority of shoppers in the UK are becoming more comfortable with AI. According to a report from Genesys, a global leader in contact centre and customer experience solutions, attitudes towards bots are changing. 54% of consumers say that they don’t care whether a bot or a human addresses their issue – as long as they get a fast resolution.
The research revealed that only 28% of consumers now say that they would never deal with bots. On the other hand, 48% of respondents said that they already use bots for simple transactional queries, like checking bank account information. Another 57%, however, said that they would wait for up to 10 minutes to get assistance from a human agent, rather than spending 5 minutes solving problems with a chatbot. Another 51% of respondents also said that contacting customer services via phone still gets the best results.
Consumers are Becoming More Confident with Bots
According to Brendan Dykes, the senior director of solution and product marketing for Genesys, although consumers are becoming more confident in interacting with bots, they still want the human touch in their customer service. Businesses should therefore provide a blended approach to service.
Additionally, companies need to ensure that they’re delivering the best experiences possible to their consumers. For instance, in the UK, consumers say that they find it particularly frustrating when:
- They need to repeat information multiple times: 40% said they don’t want to say things more than once, while 39% hate listening to repetitive messages or music
- They’re left on hold for too long: Consumers said that being put on hold for more than 5 minutes is a frustrating factor in customer service (43%). Additionally, 67% said that they would hang up if they’re left on hold for too long. 31% are only willing to wait on hold for 5 minutes
- They don’t get good customer service: 87% of the consumers in the UK either cry or swear when they’re faced with poor levels of service
Negative Experiences are Problematic for Brands
No matter the size of your business, or your chosen industry, it’s important to be aware of just how significant the effect of bad customer experience can be. Providing a poor experience to your customer can lead to serious consequences. According to Genesys, 46% of UK consumers are most likely to stop working with businesses or companies that they have had bad experiences with in the past. Additionally, 45% of those consumers would share the details of their bad experience with family and friends.
What’s more, shoppers throughout the UK will often launch a complaint with the company directly after using traditional methods like fixed-line phone or postal services.
