Gartner has released survey results showing the most valuable technologies in customer service, all of which support assisted service.
The survey of more than 200 customer service and support leaders revealed the top five most valuable technologies in customer service.
From first to fifth, these were:
- Case management systems (83 percent)
- Internal collaboration tools (82 percent)
- Cloud-based contact center systems (79 percent)
- Knowledge management systems (78 percent)
- Customer analytics dashboards (78 percent)
Lauren Villeneuve, Sr. Director, Advisory in the Gartner Customer Service & Support practice, said: “Today, the most impactful technologies in service are ones that support reps to deliver low-effort, value-enhanced experiences in the live channel.
These technologies are critical to continue to shift customers’ transactional issues to self-service so reps can focus on more complex issues.
Villeneuve continued: “Customer service and support leaders recognize that the future lies not in simply adding more channels, but in delivering a continuous multichannel experience supported by consistent knowledge content and smooth, nonrepetitive channel transitions.”
Respondents also recorded that they could see more future value in technologies helping them to understand customers’ multichannel service journeys.
A number of Voice of the Customer (VoC) analytics methods were named as some of the most valuable technologies of the service industry over the next two years, including predictive analytics (85 percent), digital experience analytics (84 percent), and customer journey analytics (83 percent).
Digital channel features, such as chatbots and live chat, were also predicted to increase in value.
In fact, virtual customer assistants (VCAs) and chatbots are anticipated to grow the most in value.
Around three-quarters of leaders indicated their belief that these would be highly or very highly valuable to their business within two years.
VoC Analytics Methods Set to Soar
VoC analytics methods are expected to have the greatest deployment increase for 2023.
The survey also revealed that customer service and support leaders were looking for alternatives to surveys this year that will uncover the VoC by piloting or deploying sentiment analysis (72 percent), customer journey analytics (68 percent), and digital experience analytics (65 percent).
Villeneuve said: “This signals that customer service and support leaders see the value of tracking customer experience as they navigate digital and multiple channel offerings.
“The technology landscape in service and support is constantly evolving – and we expect it will continue to do so, particularly with the recent advent of generative AI.
For now, leaders are continuing to find value in the technologies which have traditionally supported service and are looking towards these technological advancements to further mature the function.
The potential value of analytics is often not realized, however, according to a survey by Gartner in April this year.
It found that only 44 percent of data and analytics (D&A) leaders rated their teams as effective in adding value to their organizations.
By looking at the characteristics of teams that D&A leaders reported as “effective” and “very effective”, Gartner was able to surmise that presence, persistence, and performance were the keys to unlocking the value of data and analytics.
Earlier this month, Gartner introduced its latest Magic Quadrant report for Outsourced Digital Workplace Services (ODWS) and listed the leading brands, which include Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, DXC Technology, Fujitsu, and more.
