Underpinning the digital customer experience with a human touch

Customer experience success today relies on the use of technology. Whether personalized interactions or fast resolution, predictive engagement or informed, optimized decision-making, it all requires the right tools, automation and data.

It is not simply a case, however, of investing in the latest tools and throwing it into the mix; strategic procurement, careful integration and building the appropriate skills internally all contribute to how well a business uses technology. And it is all underpinned by processes and culture.

Plus, there is the challenge that, with everyone investing in digital, the expectation of what makes good customer experience has risen significantly.

“The bar for digital excellence, already high before the pandemic, has gone through the roof”

Source: McKinsey & Co

Clearly, some businesses will be further down the line in how they deploy technology. Yet even those that are leading the way in their use of digital tools in delivering customer experience need to be conscious of removing too much of the human.

Keeping the human in automation

What do we mean by that? There is a temptation to automate as much of the journey as possible. It is certainly true that great customer service does not mean answering every call – an exceptional customer experience is one that helps the customer while driving a business outcome. If the best way of doing that is to make it easy to find informative content online, or check a balance rapidly, or get a status update on a shipment, then the focus should be on delivering that in the fastest way possible.

Of course, some calls need to be answered, and by the right people. Employees need to be on hand to deal with complex issues and manage escalations with empathy for the customer and their situation. So, the digital customer experience must include identifying the type of attention a customer needs, and then aiding the business in delivering that service.

Read about Belfius Insurance’s efforts to deliver a great customer experience while supporting its agents with the development of a chatbot to answer questions fast.

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Triaging customer needs

This applies to all businesses, whether selling to consumers or other companies. And while triaging customers has been the case for some time (with sectors such as retail banking having had automated telephone systems in place for years), those industries that are less digitally transformed will need to tread carefully. As the groundwork has already been laid, however, they will also be able to deploy more sophisticated technology faster, as individual digital literacy continues to grow.

It is important to remember the role of the employee in all of this. While fewer queries may now be call-based, those that are will likely be more challenging. As such, workforce will need greater access to the right tools, systems and databases, and greater levels of training, both in terms of product knowledge and in being able to analyze and resolve customer issues quickly and successfully.

Choosing the right foundation for the customer experience

Technology provides the foundation for today's customer experience but choosing the tools and implementing them in a strategic manner is complex. Working with a trusted partner can help, but the first step is to understand exactly what your business needs and where you are in the journey.

Our consultants have significant expertise covering all aspects of the customer experience. To find out more, look at Jonas Wallengren's blog on the three things needed to improve customer experience, read Olivier Vicaire's thoughts on the role of the employee experience in serving the customer, download our brochure or get in touch to arrange a free workshop.