CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK
FRICTION
ISN ’ T THE ENEMY : IT ’ S JUST MISUNDERSTOOD HOW FRICTION IN YOUR CUSTOMER INTERACTIONS CAN TURN TO GOLD .
BY ERIC CARRASQUILLA AND MARK SMITH , CSG
Organizations spend countless hours and resources trying to reduce friction in customer interactions . However , they ’ re missing out on a vital fact : not all friction is bad .
Friction , when handled correctly , can create a tighter bond with customers , as it creates more touchpoints along the customer journey to show your value to the customer .
Organizations should see friction as a door to a new touchpoint with the customer and a new window into what makes them tick .
All great inventions arise from need , and any customer interaction can be a chance to learn about these pain points and adapt the customer journey to drive greater satisfaction and loyalty .
LESSON ONE : PLAN FOR FRICTION
The most important lesson when it comes to friction in the customer journey is to plan for it rather than ignoring it as a possibility .
There ’ s a clear relationship between understanding the causes of friction and being able to proactively respond to the customer ’ s needs .
With generative artificial intelligence ( AI ) -powered , real-time analytics , customer experience ( CX ) leaders can pinpoint those areas of friction and get ahead of the issue before the customer even realizes these exist .
For instance , unexpected bill changes are a major cause of customer frustration and contribute to a massive amount of call center traffic .
In fact , a study from McKinsey & Company (“ Why are your customers calling you again ?” Exhibit 3 .) found that 48 % of calls into the contact center are related to simple billing-related questions .
When the organization knows that a bill amount is going to change , for example at the end of a promotional rate , they should reach out proactively , before the customer initiates contact , to explain the changes and get ahead of friction before it occurs .
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