However , with the arrival of COVID-19 , those preferences shifted , and a new channel , messaging apps ( like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp ), entered the picture .
In 2021 , mobile phone calls ( 56 %) overtook email ( 48 %), while the rise of phone calls through messaging apps signaled an evolution towards digital engagement .
As a result , in 2024 , messaging ( 31 %) and calls ( 29 %) via non-SMS apps soared past email ( 20 %) as two of the three most used channels , falling just behind mobile voice calls ( 36 %).
Interestingly enough , video chat and chatbots – two channels long heralded as the next frontier of business-consumer interaction – lag significantly behind most other channels in 2024 at 13 % and 10 % respectively . However , video (+ 26 %) and chatbot (+ 23 %) are poised to grow in the next year .
PAIN POINTS AND SOURCES OF FRUSTRATION
“ The more things change , the more they stay the same .” - Alphonse Karr
Consumers continue to cite the same frustrations when communicating with businesses , but improvements aren ’ t happening . Issues seem to be more frequent and a significant source of frustration : even though companies have more tools at their disposal .
These issues include long wait times , contacting customer service multiple times , being transferred multiple times , agents who can ’ t answer questions but offer no other option , and limited communication channels .
A single mistake threatens consumer loyalty ; multiple slip-ups could cause them to leave for good . And the cost of churn can make or break a business . But unfortunately , many businesses still fail to meet and exceed rising consumer expectations .
In 2022 , 75 % of consumers were somewhat or very likely to stop buying from a company because of repeated communication issues . Across the board , consumers were even more frustrated by the same problems :
• 61 % could not get an answer or speak to the right person .
• 63 % had to sit through long wait times .
• 61 % had to endure multiple transfers .
By 2024 , historical issues have become endless frustrations : 74 % will jump ship after repeated problems , and the underlying metrics from 2022 haven ’ t budged .
Unfortunately , customers have developed low expectations for customer service , so when they have great experiences , they ’ re usually likely to talk about them with friends and family .
In 2022 , nearly half ( 46 %) were likely to complain about a frustrating experience , while only 27 % would complement the business after a great one .
But 58 % would tell friends and family about positive experiences ( versus 46 % with negative ones ), 57 % give positive feedback on surveys ( 40 % negative ), and 34 % post positively on social media / online reviews ( 24 % negative ).
The 2024 consumer is similar : they complain ( 44 %) more often than they offer compliments ( 25 %), but they ’ ll share positive experiences with others ( 55 %) more often than negative feedback ( 42 %). And , in even better news , 36 % will purchase additional products .
AI + CX = BUSINESS ’ S BEST FRIEND
Businesses know where the frustrations lie and know it ’ s imperative to alleviate consumer concerns , but with tight budgets and resources spread thin , where can they turn ?
The answer lies in artificial intelligence ( AI ). While it ’ s not a new concept , AI use cases and applications continue to grow , most notably with the recent release of Generative AI ( Gen AI ).
Now , it ’ s not just a tool for automating tedious manual processes : its ability to mimic human-like conversation makes it a valuable new digital coworker .
CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
CONSUMERS DEMAND QUICK , ACCURATE , AND PERSONALIZED SERVICES ON WHICHEVER PLATFORM THEY CHOOSE ...
Consumers demand quick , accurate , and personalized services on whichever platform they choose , and AI and Gen AI can augment human employees to take customer experience ( CX ) offerings to the next level .
Let ’ s look at some examples of powerful AI platforms in action . Virtual AI assistants are available 24 / 7 / 365 to triage problems for customers previously frustrated by long hold times .
These AI assistants are adept at notetaking and contextualization . They can :
• Connect to business systems ( e . g . CRM , ordering , support , etc .) to handle repetitive tasks ( e . g ., rescheduling an appointment or delivery ) automatically .
• Use skills-based routing to connect callers with the best agent to resolve the issue and populate the CRM with accurate , updated information , so there ’ s no need to ask the customer for information they have already provided .
Today ’ s Gen AI chatbots differ from those of the past because they use reinforcement learning from human feedback ( RLHF ).
In this process , humans use a reward system to train AI systems to learn from and eliminate mistakes , understand follow-up questions , and more . These chatbots can often even converse in the consumers ' preferred language .
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