In the business industry, to be able to reach maximum potential and success, organizations should constantly develop each and every aspect of their businesses. The room for improvement is wide open, there’s no settling for the best – business should aim for greatness. So year after year, companies are likely to go after the upcoming trends to further improve their business operations, particularly in the area of customer service. As we all know customer support or customer service is an extremely key component of a business organization, that’s why there’s a need to look into this area and evaluate what’s need to be sustained, changed, and added.
In 2014, changes in customer service continued at a wobbling speed. Flexible businesses across the globe implemented a range of up-and-coming advanced tools, top practices, and ultramodern technology and instituted ground-breaking ways to manipulate them for the benefit of their organizations. 2015 is just a few weeks away – so what’s up for the upcoming year in terms of new trends for customer service?
According to reports, web chats and mobile apps will surely be around to help improve customer service. In 2013, Parature.com released an article entitled ‘The Future of Customer Service: 20 Expert Predictions for 2014 & Beyond’. Here are some of the predictions told by experts almost 2 years ago
Global smartphone use will reach 2 billion by 2015. ~ Bloomberg
Companies will spend about $900 million on mobile processes reinvention services in 2013, a number that will more than triple in 2014, and continue to rise in 2015. ~ Forrester
By 2015, the marketing budget allocated to retaining customers and increasing loyalty through customer service will more than double. ~ Gartner Predicts 2012: CRM Customer Service and Support Staggers into the Posthuman Age
By 2015, one-way participation in content will decline to under 20%. The consumer will gain even more control and choice over content. ~ Google Insights Route to 2015
Through 2015, 80% of multichannel implementations will fail because retailers will retain channel and product-centric strategies. ~Garter Top Industry Predicts 2012: Industries Face Intensified Consumerization and Technology Disruption
The number of mobile social network users in the U.S. will grow from 58.5% in 2012 to 79.1% by 2015. ~ U.S. Mobile Social Network Users Expected to Double by 2015 – eMarketer
By 2015, there will be more people accessing the web using a mobile device than a wireless computer. ~ IDC Worldwide New Media Market Model Forecast
By 2016, more than half of the dollars spent in U.S. retail will be influenced by the web. ~ Forrester U.S. Cross-channel Retail Forecast, 2011 – 2016
Worldwide business-to-consumer (B2C) m-commerce spending will grow six fold between 2011 and 2016, reaching $223 billion by the end of 2016. ~ IDC Worldwide New Media Market Model Forecast
The number of social network users around the world will rise to 1.73 billion in 2013. By 2017, the global social network audience will total 2.55 billion. ~eMarketer Worldwide Social Network Users: 2013 Forecast and Comparative Estimates
Most of these predictions were realized and the numbers are swelling continuously. Customer THINK, also provided the following customer services trends for 2015 – 15 for 2015:
1. Chat is here to stay
2. Customers expect help when they need it and that means 24/7
3. Reward your employees who reward your customers
4. Brick and mortar and online retail is blending
5. Customers want to be brand loyal, but will quickly jump ship
6. NPS, Customer Effort Score, and CSAT are all valid but…
7. Response time has become just as important as the actual response
8. Establish customer service guidelines, not rules
9. Text messaging is the new business tool
10. Customer reviews are king
11. Invest in technology to improve the customer experience
12. “Please call us” responses in social media are so 2014
13. Once you opt-in, you can never opt-out?
14. Engage your employees to get the competitive edge
15. The customer experience continues after the transaction
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2015 is a very promising year for the industry as new innovations and trends surfaces to improve business operations. It’s never too late for any struggling organization to rise up and perform well because these trends are here to guide businesses to the right direction. Also for the thriving ones, there is always more room for improvement, that’s why it’s always best to adopt and try new things – things that will absolutely lend a hand with the aim to make your business successful.
What trends do you think will be key to improving customer service in 2015? Share your comments today.
