Last year forced companies to take a step outside of their processes and see what they needed to do to survive the (post-)pandemic economy. With everything from quick fixes to deep reflection on processes’ past, we survived the first big learning curve of the decade. To help you anticipate what’s in store for 2022, we’ve put together five (5) trends to keep in mind.
Proactive support will be a game changer
Gone are the days of waiting for your customer to come to you with a concern. It’s time to be more proactive in our customer support! In other words: your customer experience team needs to get comfortable anticipating your customers’ needs before they are even aware of them.
While it’s not too complicated to achieve, many companies are still failing to take advantage of the anticipations and predictions they are already making. With a little boost in your CX planning, your team can transform your customers from satisfied with your product to feeling a deeper connection with your brand. The added value proactive customer service provides is priceless.
Empathy and well-being will make leaders stand out
It’s no surprise that customers want to be treated with respect and understanding. Empathy is one of the leading factors in making people feel safe in their interactions. When a customer comes with an issue or a complaint, it’s often charged with frustration, disappointment, and/or aggression.
Sometimes it’s as simple as using a customer’s first name when addressing them. Other times it's really listening to what is (and isn’t) being said and anticipating a solution within the first few minutes of an interaction. This shows the customer that you as a brand value their time. Added bonus: Customers are willing to pay more for better CX!
Data privacy will be more valuable than ever
With every transaction, a customer is trusting a company with not only their money, but also with their data; the data being arguably more valuable. And these days, with the amount of data that’s being collected and how it is or isn’t being used, customers are paying more attention and becoming more concerned.
This growing concern across the globe means that data privacy is a critical trend that companies must consider. Making necessary shifts, such as simplifying privacy policies, ensuring that relationships are built on transparency and trust, and using privacy-compliant technologies, are just three of the many ways in which your brand will be rewarded by customers with higher spend and retention.
Lightning fast 24/7 support will be the norm
Communications technology is present in all areas of our lives. In our private (and in some cases professional) lives, we are connected 24/7. We’re seeing the effects of constant connection even more in our (post-)pandemic world. This is true in customer service, too.
Customers want real-time support 24/7! More than ever, delayed responses and limited hours are unacceptable. Not only in aftersales support, where 46% of customers prefer live chat, but also in purchasing support, where up to 50% of customers find a helping hand an irreplaceable feature!
Omnichannel experiences will be one step closer to reality
Omnichannel experiences have been on the agenda for years now, though companies often fall short of true omnichannel experiences. An omnichannel experience allows your customers to find you, quickly, on their preferred messaging platform, emphasising the importance of real-time support. It also provides you with so-called ‘customer footprints’, which track data across channels and help you create a fuller customer profile to anticipate and fulfil their needs.
Consistent support across all touchpoints
2022 brings with it the need to provide a consistent support environment for customers across all touchpoints. This will not only help with your customer retention but will also put you a step ahead of the competition by providing a cohesive and integrated customer experience across all messaging channels.
There’s no telling what the future will bring, but keeping proactive support, empathy, data privacy, fast 27/4 support, and omnichannel experiences at the forefront of your 2022 customer experience strategy will definitely put you one step ahead of the game.