A new report by CFI Group and Radial shows that retailers must manage across the entire customer service journey to create an excellent customer service experience.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 8, 2018 – Contact centers play a critical role in a retailer’s success. Professional agents who are well integrated with the company have a significant impact on sales, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. At the same time, advances in digital technology and artificial intelligence are broadening the role of contact centers in providing customer service across the customer service journey.

Radial and CFI Group surveyed 500 online shoppers to understand their experiences throughout the customer service journey. The resulting feedback underscores the need for retailers to manage digital properties, automated interactions, and live agents in concert to deliver an excellent experience regardless of the path taken by individual customers.

Insights from the report about retail customers include:

DIGITAL PROPERTIES FORM A KEY STEP IN THE JOURNEY

Digital properties for a retailer can include websites, mobile apps, or other online tools and resources.

• 80% try to resolve their issue somewhere online before contacting customer service
• 60% try visiting the retail company website before contacting customer service
• 34% visit the retailer site with a mobile device
• 21% say the company website is “not at all helpful”

Those who find the website helpful have a satisfaction score of 86 (on a 0-100 scale), compared to 40 for those who see the site as not at all helpful.

AUTOMATED INTERACTIONS IMPROVE WITH VISUAL IVR

Automated interactions involve chatbots or IVR tools that provide enhanced self-serve tools to customers.

• 32% who reach an IVR system try to use it, but say it was insufficient for their needs and that they needed to talk to an agent
• 18% are familiar with Visual IVR
• 55% say they are likely to use Visual IVR if given the option

Visual IVR is a viable solution for creating an excellent contact center experience.

LIVE AGENTS MUST BE INTEGRATED WITH THE COMPANY

Retail contact centers that integrate agents with the rest of the company can expect dividends through greater CLV (customer lifetime value).

• 38% say the agent was well-integrated with the company
• 38% say the agent had a lot of experience
• 49% say the agent was well trained
• 55% say the agent had the tools needed to help

Customers who experience a professional agent who is well-integrated with the company have higher customer satisfaction (+19%) than the average customer.

To read more about the Retail Report by Radial and CFI Group, download the full report here.