1、Market Study:CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities JUNE 2024CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 2CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Introduct

2、ionTalk about competing on the customer experience and cultivating a culture of customer centricity continues to prove hollow.The majority of consumers feel that experiences actually regressed over the past year,delivering a harsh truth to businesses who hoped their customer contact strategies and i

3、nvestments had finally begun to pay off.The real kicker?Artificial intelligence(AI)technology,which investors,business leaders,and contact center thinkers have been trumpeting as a saving grace,is exacerbating the situation.Todays consumers lament facing an abundance of ineffective chatbots and an a

4、bsence of pathways to productive agent support.With the stakes of the experience continuing to rise,what will it take to reverse this regression?What will it take to harness AI in a more productive,customer-centric way?What will it take to empower agents to deliver personalized,productive,loyalty-bu

5、ilding service?What will it take to build a brand for which customers eagerly advocate?To help answer these questions,CCW Digital conducted an extensive survey into the preferences of todays consumers.The resulting insights and recommendations form this exclusive market study on CX Trends,Challenges

6、,and Opportunities.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 3CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Table of Contents2 Introduction4 Methodology&Demographics4 About the Author5 Key Findings6 Customer Experiences are Getting Worse8 A Deeper Dive:Why Todays Customer Experiences Are Falling

7、 Short12 Customers Are Not Changing The Channel14 The AI Transformation:Promise of Improvement,or Fear of Regression?18 Shopping for Customer Centricity:Evaluating Retail Experiences20 Trendy CX:How Consumers Feel About Buzzy Issues23 Final Takeaway:The Reality of the“Amazon Effect”26 Foundever Bols

8、ters Real-Time Agent Assistance with Conversation Intelligence30 Breaking Through The Top 4 CX Pain Points with AI38 Tripadvisor Creates a Package Deal for Global CX42 Appendix43 2024 Editorial Calendar44 Meet the Team2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 4CUSTOMER CONTACT W

9、EEKDIGITAL|About the AuthorBrian Cantor Principal Analyst,CCW Digital Customer Management Practice CUSTOMERMANAGEMENTPRACTICEBrian Cantor is the principal analyst and director for CCW Digital,the global online community and research hub for customer contact professionals.In his role,Brian leads all

10、customer experience,contact center,technology,and employee engagement research initiatives for CCW.CCW Digitals articles,special reports,commentaries,infographics,executive interviews,webinars,and online events reach a community of over 150,000.A passionate advocate for customer centricity,Brian reg

11、ularly speaks on major CX conference agendas.He also advises organizations on customer experience and business development strategies.Methodology&DemographicsDespite all the buzz about customer centricity,far too many brands and far too many customer contact research reports neglect the actual voice

12、 of the customer.To counter that common industry pitfall,CCW Digital conducts an annual Consumer Preferences Survey that uncovers what actual customers want when interacting with brands.Conducted in May 2024,this years iteration of the survey polled 530 adult American consumers on their sentiment,pr

13、eferences,and purchasing habits.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 5CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Key Findings1 The Amazon Effect is real,with 63%of consumers saying they compare brand interactions to their best cross-industry experiences.Unfortunately,the associated“compe

14、tition on the customer experience”is not resulting in stronger interactions.2 Only 7%of consumers feel experiences have gotten much better over the past year,and a troubling 55%say they have gotten worse.3 Nearly 60%of consumers say they share details of bad experiences with personal contacts,while

15、29%actively rant about poor performance on social media.4 Experiences continue to disappoint on all fronts.Only 26%of consumers feel their brand interactions are quick and convenient;just 16%encounter meaningful personalization.5 Though challenges like long wait times and repetitive questions endure

16、,difficulty even reaching a live agent has emerged as the most common pain point.Unhelpful automation ranks as the#2 pain point.6 Ongoing demand for access to live agents is not,however,a testament to the competency of these employees.More than 80%of consumers believe agents are distracted during in

17、teractions,and less than one-quarter believe they are knowledgeable.7 Despite all the hype around digital engagement,consumers continue to view the traditional phone call as their most reliable support option.8 The majority of consumers are theoretically willing to use chatbots for simple and comple

18、x issues,but they have not been impressed by the technology in practice.A mere 17%are confident they can successfully address a service issue in a chatbot.9 E-commerce continues to become the preference for many shoppers,but non-trivial percentages will continue visiting brick-and-mortar stores to s

19、ecure better prices,urgently acquire products,and tangibly experience the offering before buying.10 The majority of consumers feel tipping has become a“tax”rather than a gesture to reward great service.11 There is no universal answer about whether or not brands should comment on sensitive,political,

20、or otherwise-controversial topics.12 Nearly half of consumers worry about sharing personal data with brands.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 6CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|CCW Digitals annual Consumer Preference Surveys have consistently uncovered disappointment about th

21、e quality of brand interactions,and the trend continues in 2024.Customers remain frustrated with the experiences they are receiving,seeing no evidence of the so-called“era of customer centricity”coming to fruition.Only 7%of consumers feel experiences have gotten much better over the past year,and a

22、troubling 55%feel they have gotten worse.This lack of improvement if not downright regression is visible across all major industries,with gyms showing the biggest struggle.Just 10%feel gyms,spas,and related personal wellness facilities have delivered better experiences over the past year,and the num

23、bers for digital service providers(11%),entertainment venues(12%),e-commerce brands(14%),and medical providers(15%)are nearly as sobering.Customer Experiences are Getting WorseWith only 29%of consumers acknowledging improvement,even the best performing segment(fast food and fast casual restaurants)h

24、as little reason to celebrate in 2024.The conclusion here is quite simple:customer experiences are getting worse.As organizations continue on this trend of regression,the risk of financial and reputational costs continues to grow.Nearly 60%of consumers say they share details of bad experiences with

25、personal contacts,while 29%actively rant about poor performance on social media.Other consumer reactions include attempting to switch providers(48%)and writing negative reviews(39%).More than a third of consumers will take their complaint directly to the companys contact center,burdening agents with

26、 inefficient,hostile conversations.At a time when agent satisfaction and performance are so firmly on the radar,this cost is especially concerning.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 7CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|In general,do you feel businesses have gotten better or wors

27、e at delivering customer service over the past year?Which of the following industries do you feel have been providing IMPROVED customer service/customer experiences over the past year?Suppose youve been having bad experiences with a company.Which of the following are you likely to do?23.21%Customer

28、service has gotten much worse 31.51%Customer service has gotten somewhat worse 24.91%No change 13.77%Customer service has gotten somewhat better 6.60%Customer service has gotten much betterFast food/coffee shops/fast casual restaurantsAirline/transporationeCommerce/online shoppingHotelsBanking,finan

29、ce,and insuranceDigital services(streaming apps,social media platforms,etc)None of the aboveBars and sit-down restaurantsEntertainment venues(movies,concerts,sporting events,etc)In-person grocery and retail storesHospital/doctor/medical careGyms/spas/personal wellness28.79%19.13%24.43%14.39%20.08%11

30、.17%25.57%15.34%23.11%12.12%19.70%9.85%Share the experience with friends/family/coworkersContact the company to request a refund/make-goodLeave a negative review on the website(or a relevant site like Yelp,TripAdvisor,etc)Share the experience on social mediaTry to stop doing business with them/switc

31、h to another providerShare your thoughts in a feedback survey/letterContact the company to share your complaintNone of the above59.66%28.79%38.64%33.14%47.73%3.79%35.42%30.68%2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 8CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|A common theme in CCWs previous

32、Consumer Preferences Surveys was the persistence of key pain points.From year to year,consumers repeatedly lamented concerns related to inefficient interactions,impersonal conversations,and fragmented digital experiences.A Deeper Dive:Why Todays Customer Experiences Are Falling ShortThe 2024 report

33、uncovers slight improvements in some of these areas,but it also uncovers an emerging problem:the inability to reach human customer contact employees.This growing gap negates any of the other modest improvements,thus explaining why the majority of consumers feel experiences are trending in the wrong

34、direction.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 9CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|WHAT IS WORKING IN TODAYS CUSTOMER INTERACTIONS?ALMOST NOTHINGThrough its fifteen-plus years of research,CCW Digital has identified the ideal customer experience as one that is simultaneously frict

35、ionless,personalized,predictive,and consistent throughout the omnichannel journey.Unfortunately,todays consumers do not feel brands are excelling in any of these areas.Only 26%of consumers feel their typical experiences are quick and easy,while only 22%feel they have autonomy over where to interact.

36、In an even more troubling finding,personalization is evident to just 16%of consumers.Amid the digital and AI transformations,only 19%feel they can immediately access help from a human agent.Granted,it is not as if that agent would deliver a remarkable experience:a mere 24%feel the typical customer s

37、ervice employee is happy,engaged,and knowledgeable.Todays brands are allegedly competing on the customer experience,but it appears they have mistaken the competition as a race to the bottom.Instead of combining customer-centric technology with data-driven journey design and empathetic agent support,

38、they are subjecting customers to the same generic,frustrating,convoluted experiences they have for the past several decades.They are thus squandering opportunities to even efficiently support customers,let alone build trust and loyalty.And insofar as the rise of new touch points will only add to the

39、 complexity of experiences,an inability to succeed in todays climate is a premonition of categorical failure tomorrow.Consider your typical customer service interaction over the past year.Which of the following would you say are true?The experience was quick,convenient,and easyThe interaction was ve

40、ry friendly and conversational,with a lot of small/personal talkThe technology used(such as chatbots,mobile apps,screen sharing,etc)made the experience much betterI was able to get immediate help from a real person whenever I wantedThe experience was highly personalized to my specific needs and expe

41、ctationsThe employees seemed really happy,helpful,knowledgeable,and could empathize with my issuesI was able to choose exactly where and how to interact with the businessNone of the aboveThe experience felt consistent across the business different touch points&channelsThe company/employee went“off s

42、cript”to give me a special resolution26.42%22.64%18.68%21.70%15.66%23.77%22.08%17.36%21.70%13.21%2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 10CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Pain Points:New and Old Customer Experience ChallengesIf they are scoring that poorly for high-level objectiv

43、es like effortlessness and personalization,brands are clearly not succeeding at the nuances of customer experience delivery.But where are they precisely going wrong?In the eyes of the customer,the most notable mistake concerns the absence of the human touch.A staggering 52%say it is difficult to rea

44、ch a live agent,establishing that lack of humanity as the#1 pain point in 2024.Disappointing in its own right,the difficulty receiving human support is made even more troubling by the#2 pain point:unhelpful automated platforms.An alarming 49%call this a challenge,meaning that customers are essential

45、ly out of luck.The inability to access live agents makes them reliant on these AI-driven self-service tools,yet these tools are not especially effective.The end result will be an unproductive experience and a negative perception of the brand.Other common pain points include long wait and hold times(

46、a problem for 48%of consumers)and frequently having to repeat information(37%).Though these numbers are less significant than they were in past years,they are still unacceptable for brands attempting to demonstrate the ease,efficiency,relevance,personalization,and warmth of their customer experience

47、s.Much like the other leading pain points,they also combine in a particularly unfortunate manner.If consumers are enduring excessive wait times to speak to a live agent,only to then have to repeat information to that agent,the experience feels especially time-consuming and especially disappointing.D

48、ifficult to get in touch with a live personLong wait/hold timesFrequent transfers or escalationsThey cant help me due to“policy”or other generic rules/scriptsDifficult to switch channels(too much effort if I want to start in email,then go to phone,etc)Have to deal with automated platforms(chatbot,vo

49、ice menu,etc)that arent helpfulHave to repeat info/answer repetitive questionsHave to spend too much time verifying identity(mothers maiden name-type questions)Cannot interact in the channel I want(example-I want phone,they only offer email)None of the aboveWhich of the following challenges/issues d

50、o you often encounter when interacting with businesses(such as for customer service)?52.26%49.06%47.92%37.36%25.47%24.72%24.53%23.40%16.79%5.28%2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 11CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|AGENT UNDERPERFORMANCE:NO LIGHT AT THE END OF THE CALL QUEUEBy

51、 declaring their disappointment in automated platforms and their frustration in trying to reach live agents,todays consumers are declaring a demand for human support.That they are willing to endure long wait times just to access that support further underscores just how much they value the human tou

52、ch.Unfortunately,the human touch they are hoping to receive is rarely as powerful as the one they actually encounter.Beyond the frustration of repetitive questions,consumers find other reasons to criticize agents and the assistance they are providing.Only 19%of consumers feel agents demonstrate suff

53、icient focus,and an equivalently small quantity feels these agents seriously care about providing support.A troubling 23%feel agents are knowledgeable,and just 36%even feel agents are nice and friendly.Whereas agents are supposed to be engaging,customer-centric ambassadors for their brands,they are

54、clearly coming across as distracted,unhelpful,unprepared,and unsupportive.They are sending the message that customers do not matter to the brand at a time when relationships of trust are such an important goal.The challenges,of course,go hand-in-hand.According to previous CCW Digital research,4-in-5

55、 contact center leaders are spending too much time on low-value work.Similar percentages face too much effort accessing knowledge bases,gathering relevant customer data,and otherwise jumping through hoops to perform their jobs.As long as that is the case,agents will always come across as distracted

56、on calls.This will automatically create the perception of indifference,while also forcing them to choose between exerting extra time and effort gathering necessary intelligence(leading to slower support)or asking generic,repetitive,qualification questions to keep the conversation moving(simultaneous

57、ly reducing the auras of personalization and expertise).Consider the customer service employees with whom youve recently interacted.Which of the following do you feel is true for most of them?22.58%22.01%19.17%19.17%16.51%16.32%15.94%14.04%9.68%None of the aboveThey seriously care about solving my p

58、roblemsThey are extremely knowledgeable about the company and products they supportThey are 100%focused on me and dont seem distracted or disengaged during the interactionThey think“outside the box”and provide resolutions that go off script/policyThey know a lot about me and can personalize the conv

59、ersation without asking too many questionsThey are excited about their job and the culture of the company they supportThey are eager to listen to my feedback and share it with their companyThey detect when Im angry or upset and try to calm me down2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Oppo

60、rtunities 12CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Empowered thanks to social media and the“competition”around the customer experience,todays consumers are essentially holding the remote control.They are not,however,looking to channel surf.Despite all the hype around digital transformation,they continue to re

61、soundingly identify the traditional phone call as their most trusted option for receiving customer support.They simultaneously remain skeptical of their ability to solve a problem in new,digital-age channels.Specifically,67%are confident that they could successfully solve a customer service issue ov

62、er a phone call.They are also comparatively,though not overwhelmingly,confident in“established”digital channels like live chat(48%)and email(40%).Customers Are Not Changing The ChannelOn the other hand,only 26%expect to reach a successful resolution using messaging.An even smaller 17%have faith in t

63、he value of a chatbot/web self-service interaction.Providing a harsh reality,the self-service number actually trails the 20%figure from 2023.That means that as chatbots become more present and AI technology grows in maturity and familiarity,some customers are actually losing confidence in their viab

64、ility as a support option.When juxtaposed against the statistic confirming that customers are having a harder time reaching live agents,regression in self-service is especially concerning.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 13CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Suppose you have a

65、 customer service issue.In which of the following channels do you trust companies to successfully solve your problem?PhoneText/messagingEmailHelpdesk/ticket systemsLive chatSocial mediaChatbot/web self-serviceInstructional videos67.36%39.81%22.45%16.60%47.55%26.23%20.38%13.40%THE“CALL CENTER”IS NOT

66、EXTINCTStill lacking confidence in digital channels,customers view phone as their best mechanism for receiving high-quality support.It is imperative for brands to accept this reality as they embark on their“digital transformations.”While they are absolutely right to invest in creating better digital

67、 experiences,they cannot make those investments at the expense of delivering reliable phone support.Underscoring this point,69%of consumers declare that it is“not OK”for brands to offer“digital only”support that makes phone access difficult or impossible.Given CCW Digitals 2023 finding that the majo

68、rity of consumers feel it has become harder to connect over the phone,it is clear organizations are trending in the wrong direction.It is clear organizations are squandering an opportunity to win customer loyalty trust at a time when the value of that connection is more significant than ever.How do

69、you feel about companies that offer“digital only”customer support and make it difficult or impossible to speak to them on the phone?30.75%It is OK;I do not expect access to phone customer support 69.25%It is not OK;I at least want the option to contact support via phone2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX

70、Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 14CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|CCW Digitals executive-facing research confirms significant optimism about the potential of artificial intelligence.More than 4-in-5 contact center leaders are confident that emerging conversational and generative AI solutions will mean

71、ingfully transform customer and employee experiences.Transformative potential is not,however,the same as immediate reality.And the simple reality is that existing AI deployments are not winning universal customer acclaim.Instead,the combination of underperforming technology and overeager implementat

72、ion is actually hurting the customer experience and reinforcing skepticism about brands commitment to customer centricity.The AI Transformation:Promise of Improvement,or Fear of Regression?An earlier section of this report confirmed restrictive access to human agents as the#1 pain point affecting to

73、days customer experiences.There is a reason for that finding:85%say it has become more difficult to reach a live person.Combined with the findings that unhelpful automation is the#2 pain point and that 55%of consumers do not feel bots have improved over the past year,it is clear brands are missing t

74、he mark on both fronts.Disappointingly,brands appear to be forcefully subjecting customers to ineffective bot showcases,serving to not only weaken experiences but condition them to remain reliant on live agent support.This will ultimately extend call queues,driving longer wait times and less focused

75、,productive,and engaging agents.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 15CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Consumers,sadly,fear the situation will only get worse.As brands continue to embrace AI,two-thirds of customers believe it will become even harder to reach a live agent.They

76、also fear an increase in generic,“automated”support outcomes(44%),a lack of transparency about whether they are speaking to a bot or agent(39%),and the additional effort that comes with explaining an issue to a bot(36%).Collectively,these pain points underscore a troubling reality.Customers see cont

77、act centers investment into AI as an effort to cut costs,deflect inquiries,and reduce agent availability.Validated by the unremarkable experiences they are currently having with bots,this fear jeopardizes the entire AI transformation.If customers believe AI-driven experiences are cost-cutting measur

78、es that inherently produce worse experiences,they have no incentive to change their behavior.They have no reason to reconsider their stance that agent support is superior.Without taking active steps to dissuade consumer resistance,brands will be left with a lose-lose choice:charge ahead with“forced”

79、self-service experiences at the expense of customer satisfaction or provide immediate agent access and give up on the dream(and efficiency gains)of“AI for simple issues,agents for complex ones.”Active steps,of course,involve creating bots and other AI-driven experiences that actually align with cust

80、omer expectations and then properly educating customers about the value of these innovations.Which of the following concerns do you have about the rise of artificial intelligence(AI)in customer service?It will become harder to speak to a human customer service employee;more emphasis on AI chatbots a

81、nd assistantsCustomer service will be more“automated”and generic/less personalized to my individual needs and feelingsI wont actually know if Im speaking to a real person (bots and voice menus will act like humans)I will have to explain my issues to chatbots/voice menu,leading to more effort and fru

82、strationI will have to share personal info with a chatbot/voice menu (data privacy concerns)Brands will use AI to send more marketing/spam emails,texts,and mobile notifications65.60%43.86%39.32%36.11%29.49%28.92%27.41%4.16%AI chatbots may share inaccurate/outdated infoNone of the above2024 JUNE CCW

83、MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 16CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|IMPROVING THE CHATBOTA mere 17%of todays consumers trust chatbots,and the fact that 55%havent seen any improvement makes that sobering number easy to understand.But what can be done to garner more trust?What does it take

84、 to create a bot that actually aligns with customer expectations?Perhaps not surprisingly,the most important step is to ensure bots do not operate in isolation from live agents.Sixty-seven percent(67%)of consumers say they would be more comfortable using a bot if they had an easy option for escalati

85、ng to a live agent.The#2 preference one desired by 49%of consumers is to ensure information shared in the bot is seamlessly passed along to those agents upon escalation.The result of consumers ongoing bias in favor of human support,these preferences carry some important ramifications for customer-fa

86、cing organizations.First,these organizations cannot at least not yet view bots as a way to scale back or restrict live agent support.If a customer is able to engage with a bot at a given time,that customer will expect an agent to be available at that same time.Second,it means organizations absolutel

87、y have to ensure they have an omnichannel contact center framework that empowers agents with insight into what customers are saying elsewhere.It takes this 360-degree view to ensure customers do not have to restart their conversation upon escalating from self-service to a live agent.Consequently,the

88、y have to leverage conversational and generative AI to foster inviting,engaging bot dialogues that can actually capture and interpret customer communication.Bots may not yet be able to solve every problem,but if they cannot even understand what the customer is saying(because they are only capable of

89、 interpreting actions against a fixed menu),they cannot pass along vital information to a live agent.They cannot foster a seamless,omnichannel experience.Which of the following would make you more likely and/or comfortable to use a chatbot?Can quickly escalate to a human agent whenever I wantI can c

90、ommunicate how I want,and the bot understands my issueAssurance of data security and privacyBot offers coupons and promotions to those who use itNone of the aboveAny information I share is instantly passed to the live agent (no need to repeat when I transfer)The bot actually solves my problem(gives

91、me a refund,makes a change,etc)I can share screenshots,videos,and other media to help explain my issueThe bot experience is highly personalized and/or predictive(knows my name,products,etc)67.17%48.68%37.74%29.43%25.28%21.32%15.47%15.47%7.74%Finally,this data confirms how important it is to deploy b

92、ots that can provide meaningful resolutions.The more customers grow to trust bots as a valid support option as opposed to a deflection tool or“waiting room”before an agent becomes available,the more businesses can actually tap into the efficiency benefits of the AI revolution.Consistent with the lat

93、ter two points,the ability to provide meaningful resolutions(38%)and the ability to understand natural language(29%)would make non-trivial percentages of customers more likely to embrace chatbots.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 17CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|SIMPLE VS.

94、COMPLEX ISSUESInvestment into AI-based chatbots has long been predicated on the notion of letting self-service absorb simple issues so that agents can focus on complex ones.But as companies continue to invest in these bots and aim to develop tools that can actually provide resolutions it is worth co

95、nsidering how customers feel about this supposedly ideal dynamic.Just over 34%of todays consumers say they would prefer to solve simple issues on their own,while another 46%are willing to try self-service but still expect access to a live agent.The remaining 20%,meanwhile,would prefer agent support

96、even for basic inquiries.When it comes to complex issues,a far smaller 16%would prefer self-service.Just shy of 39%would be willing to try self-service as long as agents were still available,and the remaining 46%would prefer to work directly with an employee.In a sense,this breakdown supports the co

97、mmon sense reality that self-service is,at least right now,more suitable for simple issues than complex ones.However,it is clear that many customers are not yet convinced of self-services ability to address any inquiries.Suppose you had a basic customer service issue(password reset,delivery ETA,paym

98、ent due date question,etc).Would you rather address this issue with a self-service tool(chatbot,website portal,automated voice menu,etc)or by connecting to a human employee?Suppose you had a more complex customer service issue(billing dispute,unexpected or complicated product issue,personal matter,i

99、ncident report,complaint,etc).Would you rather address this issue with a self-service tool(chatbot,website portal,automated voice menu,etc)or by connecting to a human employee?34.03%Would prefer to solve this on my own,dont need an employee 46.31%Willing to try solving on my own,but would like the o

100、ption to connect to an employee 19.66%Would prefer an employee 16.26%Would prefer to solve this on my own,dont need an employee 38.56%Willing to try solving on my own,but would like the option to connect to an employee 45.18%Would prefer an employeeAfter all,two-thirds of consumers still want agents

101、 to be available for these issues and 20%would actually prefer them,even though accessing an agent could mean long wait times,repetitive questions,and dealing with employees who the research suggests could be unfriendly,unknowledgeable,and unfocused.This ongoing preference for agents suggests that b

102、rands have a long way to go when it comes to proving the viability of self-service.The glass half-full take,meanwhile,is that more than half of customers would at least be willing to try self-service for complex issues.This means that if brands can deliver bot experiences that harness the combinatio

103、n of robust AI and customer-centric design to provide relevant support and valuable resolutions,they can even automate challenging customer interactions.This would be an even bigger win for contact center efficiency,while providing even more opportunity to assign agents to the most exciting,high-val

104、ue tasks.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 18CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|When discussing omnichannel engagement,many customer contact professionals instinctively focus on digital vs.phone and self-service vs.agent-led.But it is important to remember that the customer ex

105、perience extends beyond customer service and also extends beyond different remote communication channels.Indeed,one ever-relevant discussion concerns the future of in-person shopping.Thanks to advances in digital technology,generational and COVID-driven familiarity with e-commerce,and an ever-shifti

106、ng definition of convenience,customers retail preferences continue to evolve.Savvy brands will constantly monitor that evolution to ensuring their brick-and-mortar experiences remain valuable in todays world.Shopping for Customer Centricity:Evaluating Retail ExperiencesThere is no silver bullet for

107、attracting all customers to a physical store.There are,however,factors that can make the in-person experience resonate with large percentages of buyers.The most significant factor is price;49%say they prefer going to physical stores if they can save money.Whether due to a cheaper product price or th

108、e absence of service and delivery fees,a store that offers coveted products for less can prompt customers to get off their couches,get into their cars,and check-out at cash registers.Other comparatively compelling brick-and-mortar drivers include the need to acquire a product urgently(47%),the desir

109、e to tangibly evaluate the item(45%),and contextual convenience(41%).2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 19CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Interestingly,these preferences reflect situations in which brick-and-mortar stores can“do digital better than digital.”Speed and conveni

110、ence represents major selling points of digital engagement,but being able to acquire a product on-demand is obviously still faster than one-or two-day shipping.Being able to stop by a store on the way home from work or to the gym may still feel more convenient than browsing through a mobile app.Digi

111、tal may promise instant access to research and reviews,but for some products,that intelligence is less useful than being able to touch,taste,or try-on the product in-person.Granted,it is important to remember that less than 50%actually identified these factors as compelling drivers to head to the st

112、ore.That means that for the average customer,two-day shipping is sufficient.It means buyers are becoming comfortable purchasing items even fashion or luxury goods without physically touching them.It means e-commerce is no longer an exciting opportunity or acceptable trade-off.It is increasingly beco

113、ming a legitimate preference.This trend will only continue as generations evolve and digital technology improves.For which of the following reasons would you prefer to buy something in-store vs.online?Price-if I can get a better deal/avoid delivery fees at the storeTime/urgency-if I need the product

114、 today,cant wait for shippingConvenience-if I pass the store on my route/commuteLoyalty-if I want to support a specific local/in-person businessHybrid approach-if I can buy online but pickup at the storeNone of the aboveTangible Experience-if I need to view the item in person before buying(clothes,f

115、ragrance,furniture,luxury items,etc)Refund/exchange possibility-if I want the freedom to return the item to a physical storeAssistance-if I want to speak to someone for advice on the product and/or will require support after purchaseStore Advantage-if the store offers special in-person experiences,f

116、ree samples,games,contests,music,etc,that I cant get online49.24%46.59%45.45%41.29%40.72%38.64%34.85%34.28%25.19%1.89%2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 20CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|It is important to understand how consumer sentiment and behavior is trending.It is also

117、 important to know how consumers feel about trendy issues.Over the past few years,topics like“tip creep,”“political messaging,”and“data”have taken center stage in the business landscape.Trendy CX:How Consumers Feel About Buzzy IssuesBy raising awareness of service worker compensation,COVID lockdowns

118、 and the proliferation of gig work have generated new policies for and discourse about tipping.The rise of social-driven“cancellations”and“boycotts,”some of which have had real consequences,has underscored the stakes of a brands values and political messaging.Growing skepticism around privacy and se

119、curity,moreover,is keeping the data question at the top of many consumers minds.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 21CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|TIPS ABOUT TIPPING POLICYNo,todays consumers are not universally furious about the state of gratuities.Non-trivial amounts of

120、these consumers are,however,concerned about several tip trends.Specifically,52%feel tip is becoming more of an obligatory“tax”than a reward for good service.This perspective is unsurprising,given that tips at least in the United States are an expectation in bars and restaurants.Brands like DoorDash

121、actually position tips as a bid of sorts,noting that higher tips increase the customers chance of receiving a fast delivery.Other concerns include fear that tip percentage expectations are getting too high(48%),frustration with too many types of workers now expecting tips(46%),a disapproval of the“t

122、ip screen”that asks consumers to provide a tip during checkout(45%),and the expectation of a sizable tip when a delivery or service fee is already being provided(42%).SHOULD BRANDS“SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE”?Silence was once a virtue,but some now call it an act of cowardice and complicity.As brands wrestl

123、e with these realities,as well as the growing expectation of being“human”and“sincere”on social platforms,they have to think critically about when to take a stand and when to sit on the sidelines.Todays consumers,unfortunately,are not providing a decisive cheat sheet for that decision.Whereas 35%obje

124、ct to brands taking political stances even when they agree with the perspective,22%appreciate the honesty even when they disagree.Another 27%care about the specific viewpoint;they are less likely to support a brand with which they disagree,and more likely to support one with which they do.The remain

125、ing 16%have no preference either way.Without a clear-cut shortcut for appeasing the majority of customers,the best option is authenticity.Brands should neither feel obligated to comment on all issues nor a pressure to latch onto a viewpoint just because it is gaining traction on social.Similarly,the

126、y should not be afraid to comment on matters they care about especially if those matters are also important to their core audience.When it comes to providing tips or gratuities to employees,do you agree with any of the following?How do you feel about brands taking public stances on political/controv

127、ersial/hot button issues?Tip has become more of a built-in tax/less about rewarding exceptional serviceIt is unfair/uncool to have the“tip screen”when you check out at a store,cafe,coffee shop,etcIt is unfair/uncool to expect a big tip when there is also a high delivery/service feeTip expectations/p

128、ercentages are getting too highToo many different types of workers are expecting tipsNone of the above52.46%48.30%46.21%44.70%41.67%7.58%21.51%I like when brands do this,even if I disagree with their stance 34.72%I dislike when brands do this,even if I agree with their stance 27.36%If I agree with t

129、he stance,Im more likely to support the brand.If I disagree,Im less likely.16.42%It doesnt matter to me either way2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 22CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|DECODING THE DATA LANDSCAPEOn the one hand,consumers want more personalized experiences.On t

130、he other hand,they are constantly bombarded with spam messages,unwanted phone calls,and discussions about data breaches and TikTok bans.To put it simply,matters related to data collection,use,and abuse are absolutely on their radar.And for roughly half of customers,these issues are a source of conce

131、rn.Nearly 48%say they do not trust brands to properly manage and safeguard their data.These consumers do worry about the possibility of data breaches or unwanted spam,thus creating an aura of skepticism when interacting with brands.Beyond creating an uphill battle for brands looking to cultivate cus

132、tomer trust,this skepticism could also directly weaken experiences.If brands cannot actively gather all the data they need from customers,they cannot properly identify experience pain points,personalize conversations,and anticipate future needs.They cannot address many of the pain points highlighted

133、 throughout this report.With the rise of AI only amplifying concerns over data security,it is imperative for brands to quickly refine their data strategies and engage in more transparent,honest communication with customers.Cultivating customer loyalty is challenging for so many reasons;brands cannot

134、 let skepticism about data practices be another one of them.When you share personal data with a company,do you fully trust them to manage it properly(protect your privacy and security,refrain from spamming or selling your info,etc)?52.27%Yes 47.73%No2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&O

135、pportunities 23CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Whether determining how to deploy bots,how intently to personalize experiences,when to offer phone support,or what hot-button issues to address,brands are never operating in a vacuum.They are confronting the same issues that peers inside and outside their

136、industry are confronting.They are competing on the customer experience.Not simply a catchy thought leader concept,the idea of an experience advantage is resonating with customers.Nearly 63%of consumers,in fact,say they subscribe to the“Amazon effect.”They evaluate brand experiences against the best

137、interactions they have ever had,regardless of industry.Final Takeaway:The Reality of the“Amazon Effect”Intimidating in theory,the“Amazon effect”is a lucrative opportunity in practice.As this years Consumer Preferences data consistently revealed,todays brands are universally struggling to deliver exc

138、eptional experiences.And thanks to misguided approaches to digital and AI transformations,these struggles could only grow worse in the years ahead.That means that truly customer-centric brands those that design experiences from the outside-in have the chance to not only boost key contact center metr

139、ics but create significant brand cachet.They have the chance to set the cross-industry standard for customer experience,becoming an institution customers support not simply because of their products but because of their service.Such a reputation is a surefire ticket to favorable interactions,unbreak

140、able trust,passionate advocacy,and unrivaled business success.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 24CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Does the“Amazon effect”impact the way you evaluate your experiences with companies(you compare interactions with all companies to those famous f

141、or great customer experiences,like Amazon,even if theyre in a different industry)?62.69%Yes 37.31%NoCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALCUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITALPRACTICALITY GUIDEMarket Study:CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportu

142、nities 2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 26CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Foundever,formerly Sitel Group,is one of the largest customer experience companies in the world.The company delivers more than 9 million customer experiences daily across 45 countries,with more than

143、170,000 global representatives.Together with CallMiner,Foundever and its client,a private U.S.telecom provider,leveraged conversation intelligence to provide real-time guidance for agents,improving collections outcomes.Foundever Bolsters Real-Time Agent Assistance with Conversation IntelligenceFound

144、ever and U.S.Telecom Provider Case StudyIndustryTelecomChallenges Support agents in real time Increase collection attempts Improve empathy languageSolutionFoundever&CallMinerResults 1.96%increase in dollars collected per productive hour 3.12%increase in average balance collected 2.20%increase in ret

145、urn rate And more2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 27CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|CHALLENGESOn behalf of the major U.S.telecom provider,the Foundever CX analytics team conducted a preliminary analysis of the contact center teams performance to understand where improvemen

146、ts could be made in terms of process and performance.What was found was the telecom providers agents were navigating complex and challenging collections conversations,and in many cases,would benefit from guidance deployed in real time.In fact,the preliminary analysis revealed that more than half of

147、collections calls(58%)did not have an attempt to collect an outstanding debt,and 80%of the calls were missing the trained call flow.In addition to these areas for improvement,the Foundever team discovered several new opportunities to show empathy on calls,where agents could potentially use different

148、 language to more effectively demonstrate care for customers and drive improved outcomes.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 28CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|SOLUTIONImplementing real-time guidance with CallMinerThe Foundever team selected CallMiner RealTime to pilot a new r

149、eal-time analytics program,assisting the telecom provider within its collections department.Real-timeguidance within conversation intelligence leverages artificial intelligence(AI)to deliver in-call alerts to recommend the next best action for agents,while a conversation is still in progress.“CallMi

150、ners real-time capabilities stand apart from the competition because they provide agents with true real-time guidance to drive specific outcomes or alert management,”said Diluckshnie Jayawardena,Head ofCustomer Success,Analytics,Foundever.“Its ease of setup and open APIs enabled us to get up and run

151、ning quickly and integrate with other technologies in our analytics stack.”Using the Agent Assistant feature within CallMiner RealTime,the Foundever CX analytics team built in-call alerts for agents based on challenging situations that impacted collections outcomes,including$/Productive Hour,Average

152、 Balance Collected,Average Full Balance Collected,Return Rate,and Average%Same-Day Payment.The real-time alert deployment focused on the following areas:Script Compliance:Hints included account verification steps and informing customers of their remaining balance following payment Showing Customer C

153、are:Agents were encouraged to demonstrate certain empathy statements and a willingness to assist frustrated customers(especially when they were unable to make payments)Collection Best Practices:After verification,agents received hints to go directly to the collections process Knowledge Article Use:T

154、his alert reminded agents to follow the correct payment hierarchy Customer Experience:Agents were prompted to remind customers of potential late payment fees Suggestions for Future Success:Alerts helped agents to remind customers of online payment options to avoid late payments in the futureThe agen

155、ts in the collections division were divided into a control group and a pilot group to compare the performance improvements over four collections KPIs,over a two-month span.After collecting baseline performance data and training users,real-time alerts were deployed in the pilot group.Weekly utilizati

156、on and performance reporting helped ensure the necessary agent adoption of the Agent Assistant feature,and provided operations leaders with a weekly comparison of KPI performance between the two groups.This has since been expanded to a second location of agents who support this telecom client.2024 J

157、UNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 29CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|RESULTSImproving collections outcomes through real-time alertsAfter implementing the two-month pilot program,the CallMiner and Foundever teams delivered significant results across five major collections KPIs comp

158、ared to baseline for the U.S.telecom provider,including:1.96%increase in dollars collected per productive hour 3.12%increase in average balance collected 1.90%increase in average full balance collected 2.20%increase in return rate 0.62%increase in average same-day payment rateBy helping agents in re

159、al-time,Foundever increased confidence in their agents abilities to navigate challenging situations.According to the site manager on the team,“All of our collections KPIs showed better performance for the agent assistant group as compared to the control group.”Together,CallMiner and Foundever are sh

160、owing how real-time guidance for agents,including those that are both compliance and business process oriented,as well as aimed at developing agents soft skills,can drive better business and customer outcomes.Want to learn more about the benefits of real-time analytics?Download“The power of real-tim

161、e conversation analytics and agent guidance”here.“CallMiner”,“Eureka”,“Eureka!”,“Eureka Analyze”,“Eureka Coach”,“Eureka Alert”,“Eureka Redact”,“Eureka API”,“MyEureka”,“MyEureka”,“EurekaLive”,the“CallMiner Eureka”logo,the“CallMiner MyEureka”logo,the“Illuminate”logo,the“CallMiner EurekaLive”logo,“List

162、en to your customers.Improve your business.”,“Feedback Is A Gift”,“Listen”,“Engagement Optimization”,the“Engagement Optimization”logo,and“EO”are trademarks or registered trademarks of CallMiner,Inc.in the United States and foreign jurisdictions.Other product names mentioned herein may be the tradema

163、rks of their respective owners.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 30CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|The contact center function is always evolving.As the years go on and rapidly technology improves,customers continually expect more.They require more dedicated,hands on experi

164、ences,yet they want quick and seamless resolutions.They want personalized support on an expedited timeline and quick conversations that feel empathetic and genuine.Customers are now conflicted by these two ideas:fast,streamlined support or a human-focused experience.It is this dichotomy that is caus

165、ing stress in the CX function.Navigating new technology and AI-powered experiences while keeping a human touch has proven to be difficult for even the most customer-centric organizations.Breaking Through The Top 4 CX Pain Points with AI2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 3

166、1CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|This disconnect has seemingly already impacted customer satisfaction as few as 7%of customers stated that experiences have greatly improved over the past year.But,it is not for a lack of trying.Organizations are working to implement new technology,improve engagement and

167、 offer over-the-top support.They may,however,be focusing on the wrong areas.While customers certainly want access to innovative experiences,they also require a level of human-centered support that cannot be achieved with static chatbots and legacy systems.In the age of AI,customers are no longer wil

168、ling to put up with inefficient,stagnant technology.Giving customers the tools to be autonomous and flexible with how they engage will ensure they can create a journey that aligns with their needs.CX leaders must take this moment to leverage technology in a more intentional way.By implementing techn

169、ology that can break through chronic pain points and give customers the power to do more,organizations will be in the position to meet ever-increasing expectations and build meaningful customer relationships.Here we outline the top pain points of 2024 and share insight on how organizations can overc

170、ome them with AI.#1 Being Human-Centered Does Require HumansWhile AI certainly has the potential to transform experiences,it has also emphasized some concerns about a shift away from the human-centric vision for CX.Although customers benefit from comprehensive self-service,many are still fearful of

171、a time when chatbots and self-service could be their only option to engage with a brand.And theyre not wrong for considering his potential 84%of customers stated that in 2024 it was harder to connect with a human.This also marked the#1 pain point of the year.At a time when brands have access to more

172、 technology than ever before,customers still rely on humans to solve their problems and address their deeper concerns.While this will likely always remain a priority for customers,its also important to dive deeper into why customers want access to a human.Understanding if customers want to speak wit

173、h a human because they genuinely dislike self-service or because they cannot secure an acceptable resolution are two separate things.Giving customers the tools to actually resolve their issues on their own is a key step in leading with a digital-first channel strategy.If customers are consistently e

174、scalating to a human or jumping through hoops to receive a digital resolution,self-service may not be a realistic option for them.Therefore,understanding why behind CX trends is critical moving forward.#2 Legacy Technology Isnt up to ParContinuing with the theme of inefficient technology,the next ch

175、allenge CCW Digital identified was a concern about automated platforms that are continuously missing the mark.49%of customers stated that they have to deal with automated platforms,like chatbots or IVRs,that simply arent helpful.Pedro Andrade,VP of Artificial Intelligence at Talkdesk shares the majo

176、r challenges surrounding traditional IVR Systems:Limitations of Traditional IVR SystemsTraditional IVR(Interactive Voice Response)systems are a common source of frustration for customers due to their inherent limitations:1.Lack of Natural Language Understanding:These systems rely on rigid,pre-define

177、d pathways and basic troubleshooting options that,in most cases,fail to understand natural language.This often leads to misinterpretation of customer inputs,especially when dealing with diverse linguistic variations,accents,speech issues,or background noise.As a result,customers frequently find them

178、selves misunderstood,leading to increased frustration and unresolved issues.2.Complex Navigation and Misrouting:The typical“press or say 1 for this”and“press or say 2 for that”approach often traps customers in a maze of options that may not directly address their needs.This complexity can lead to ca

179、lls being misrouted or customers abandoning the call altogether,further escalating their dissatisfaction.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 32CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|3.Lack of Personalization and Contextual Awareness:Traditional IVR systems provide generic responses

180、that fail to consider individual customer preferences or historical interactions.This one-size-fits-all approach does not meet specific customer needs,contributing to a sense of being undervalued and unheard.4.Operational Inefficiencies:These systems contribute to long wait times and increased inter

181、action times,straining contact center resources.Agents are overwhelmed by repetitive inquiries that could be automated with advanced AI technology,leading to reduced productivity and increased operational costs.These inefficiencies are giving customers the impression that amid innovation,brands just

182、 simply arent capable of delivering a seamless experience.Giving customers access to technology cannot be the only priority for organizations today,they must ensure the technology is useful and adds value to the customers experience.In a world where customers can leverage technology to do just about

183、 anything,they expect to do the same when engaging with a brand.Customers want to lean on technology as a means to action,not simply to have another outlet to communicate and be rerouted.Giving customers the access and autonomy to use the technology effectively will be critical moving forward.With 5

184、5%of customers stating that self-service experiences have not improved in the past year,it clearly must be a top concern for leaders in 2024.Removing pain points like inefficient IVRs and building a seamless journey will be critical for the future of experiences.#3 Personalization Means PersonalOver

185、 the past few years there has been a consistent push for personalization.With all of the data being collected today,across every interaction and touchpoint,customers expect some level of personalization.When interacting with a brand,customers want the organization to recognize their history and adap

186、t the conversation accordingly.If a customer is met with repetitive questions and requests for basic information,it feels as though the organization just isnt using all of its resources to understand their customers.As low as 16%of customers stated that experiences today feel highly personalized to

187、their specific needs.This number should be concerning for CX leaders in the age of AI,there is no excuse for not prioritizing personalization.Whether its a digital interaction or a phone conversation,agents should have the insight and context to deliver a highly relevant experience.However,this just

188、 is not the case today when asked about the typical customer service employee they have recently interacted with,customers complained that they were not 100%focused or engaged,they did not know a lot about them and they did not think outside the box to provide a personalized resolution.Without acces

189、s to customer data,agents are left scrambling to understand the customer,they seem distracted and even disengaged.In the age of AI,these inefficiencies are no longer acceptable.When customers do reach out to an agent,they expect a comprehensive experience.They want to be met with empathy and have a

190、personalized conversation that feels human.Pedro Andrade shares,“Agents must navigate multiple information silos,managing various systems such as knowledge centers,CRMs,and operational platforms.This hinders their ability to provide quick responses to customer inquiries.”The impact on CX is obvious

191、in all of these cases as agents become more and more distracted,they are unable to connect with customers and build the meaningful relationships individuals are now seeking out.Additionally,Andrade points out,“These time-consuming tasks often lead to the familiar phrase,“Please hold the line while I

192、 retrieve that data for you.”However,generative AI has the potential to revolutionize personalization and give customers access to tailored support throughout their journey.Tiago Paiva,Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Talkdesk states:“Generative AI has opened up new possibilities for CX and is

193、 rewriting the rules of customer engagement.Traditional personalization is no longer enough.Customers expect interactions tailored to their unique preferences and emotions.Hyper-personalized experiences powered by AI will drive deeper connections that foster lasting customer loyalty.”2024 JUNE CCW M

194、ARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 33CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|#4 Disjointed Experiences are Causing DisconnectAccording to Andrade,the absence of effective omnichannel support is a major challenge for customers seeking seamless support.As customers continuously seek out more conveni

195、ent and intuitive experiences,they are only being met with more friction across their journey.Talkdesk highlights two key areas where the omnichannel experience is going wrong:1.Disjointed Customer Experience:Without omnichannel support,customers experience interruptions and inconsistencies when swi

196、tching between different communication channels such as social media,email,voice,and chat.This lack of cohesion can lead to repetitive explanations of their issues and a fragmented service experience.2.Lack of Context Retention:A key advantage of omnichannel support is the ability to retain the cont

197、ext of customer interactions across different channels.This continuity ensures that customers do not have to start over each time they switch the most convenient channel at a given time,providing a smoother and more efficient resolution process.Customers are navigating complex journeys and having to

198、 repeat themselves at every touchpoint.As they engage across channels,customers feel as if they are constantly answering the same questions and giving personal information without much in return.In todays digital age,customers are expecting agents to recognize their deeper needs and address their co

199、ncerns in a seamless manner.The omnichannel experience of 2024 must be connected,contextual and convenient.Breaking Through Pain Points with AIIn the era of AI,so many of these pain points can be resolved.With effective automation,self-service and in-the-moment insights,contact centers are poised to

200、 deliver more efficient and connected experiences with a personalized touch.Here we breakdown how AI can help contact center leaders move past these chronic pain points and exceed expectations with AI.AI-Powered Self-Service that Actually WorksOne of the reasons customers arent necessarily trusting

201、of digital channels today is pure inefficiency.Customers are used to chatbots of the past that forced them to jump through hoops only to be escalated to an agent in the end anyways.Customers think of self-service as a mechanism to reach an agent,just a tool along the journey that may or may not get

202、them to where they need to go.But,with tools like generative AI now powering more advanced and sophisticated self-service experiences,organizations now have the opportunity to expand digital options and actually address customer needs.Generative AI-powered virtual agent technology can facilitate hig

203、hly contextual conversations that feel natural and intuitive.Customers will receive a more personalized response that feels like a value add over a deflection tool.Additionally,with more effective self-service,these tools give customers access to real-time support for the most repetitive issues and

204、empower agents to focus on more complex tasks.When customers can leverage self-service more deliberately,they are much more inclined to lean on the technology for their simplest issues.Andrade predicts that,“Almost all incoming requests will be first handled by a generative AI-powered system.This au

205、tomated system will have a short conversation with the customer to understand their issue and kick off a resolution process.”2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 34CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|This level of support will give agents the time and flexibility to engage with cu

206、stomers in a new way.Generative AI will power a more contextual and seamless conversation,alleviating previous frustrations formed by inefficient chatbots.This ensures agents enter into more complex interactions with less pressure and a more trusting customer.However,when customers do need to escala

207、te to an agent,call and conversation flows can be updated to create intelligent and context driven IVR flows that trigger a live agent when needed.This ensures that customers always have access to an agent,giving them a human touch whenever it is needed.By prioritizing both effective self-service an

208、d a human-centered experience,organizations are giving customers all of the tools needed to resolve their issue in a way that feels most natural to them.Talkdesks Pedro Andrade shares that Generative AI-powered routing allows customers to express themselves in their own voice without being forced in

209、to complex and potentially frustrating IVR menu trees.“With no effort in training these systems,it is able to make contextual-based decisions from incoming voice calls and digital messages and automatically create the ideal customer experience for every customer,every time.The customer simply tells

210、a smart switchboard their unique needs and what they want to accomplish,and the wheels are set in motion without the tedious setup and iterations traditionally required to build customer journeys,”he states.Give Agents the Insight to PerformWhen agents are interacting with customers,they need to hav

211、e all of the context and insight to actually address customer needs in the moment.With only 14%of customers stating that the typical contact center agent knows a lot about them and can personalize the conversation without asking too many questions,its clear that agents are currently lacking this inf

212、ormation.AI,however,gives agents the context and insight needed to properly personalize and tailor the conversation to each individual customer.Next-best action recommendations enable agents to quickly resolve concerns and address deeper needs throughout their conversation.With generative AI capabil

213、ities,agent assist tools can give agents exact answers and summarize content to ensure they are equipped to deliver a succinct and meaningful response.Agents can also leverage smart scripts to give them step-by-step guidance during a call.As agents begin to take on more complex work,this added reinf

214、orcement will help ensure they are building their skills and delivering a consistent and accurate experience.Additionally,real-time transcription and summarization tools ensure that agents are performing at their full capacity during every conversation.As automation tools summarize interactions,insi

215、ghts can be extracted across all interactions without any added after call work.“The collaboration between humans and AI is enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of customer service.AI-powered agent assistants,like Talkdesk Copilot,provide real-time support before,during and after customer inte

216、ractions.These assistants listen to conversations,guide agents,and offer contextual information before the interaction begins,by leveraging information available from past interactions.During an interaction,AI provides recommendations,enabling agents to resolve inquiries more quickly and accurately.

217、Talkdesk Copilot uses generative AI to suggest thoughtful,on-tone responses in chats and emails,making agents more effective in their roles.This technology not only reduces average handling time and operational costs but also ensures that customer interactions are handled with precision and care,the

218、reby significantly improving the customer experience.”-Pedro Andrade,VP of Artificial Intelligence at Talkdesk.Understand Agent Performance to EmpowerAgents currently have so many roadblocks in their workflows.They are working to navigate technology while meeting customer expectations and building m

219、eaningful relationships.It is not easy,but with AI,organizations have the opportunity to understand agent effort and empower them to perform.Pedro Andrade shares,“AI-powered tools like Talkdesk QM Assist revolutionize quality assurance by adding AI and interaction analytics to standard quality manag

220、ement tools.Automated interaction scoring allows managers to spend less time on manual tasks and more time coaching agents.This improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the quality assurance process,providing specific,actionable feedback through time-stamped comments and reactions to interaction

221、 recordings.”2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 35CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|With AI-powered quality assurance,managers can instantly identify coaching areas to enhance training in real-time.As agents begin taking on more complex conversation,they will need more guidanc

222、e on how to engage customers and exceed expectations.Additionally,the objectivity in the QA process will give agents the confidence that performance indicators are accurate and meaningful.With this insight,leaders can foster a high-performing team environment and encourage agents to build their skil

223、ls and continually improve.This will also ensure managers are actually able to dedicate the necessary time and attention to training and upskilling.LLMs play a pivotal role in this process.Andrade shares,“The days of manual quality management evaluations are over.Other than an occasional spot check,

224、theres no reason to do them anymore.LLMs will automatically analyze and evaluate every customer interaction to identify areas where agents are excelling or struggling and provide feedback for improvement.The models will also be used to create interactive training modules for agents that simulate rea

225、l-life customer interactions.This can help agents develop their skills in a safe,low-pressure environment,leading to better performance on the job.”Stay Ahead of the CurveTodays customers expect more,it is no longer enough to just get the job done,customers want an experience that feels innovative a

226、nd personalized.To achieve this,CX leaders must deeply understand their customer they must understand their needs,their intention and their pain points.To stay ahead of the curve and keep customers engaged,organizations must lean on AI.With AI technology,leaders can pinpoint their customers underlyi

227、ng needs and frustrations to create a more seamless journey.AI for customer analytics empowers organizations to leverage actionable insights that move the needle and promote positive change.Generative AI technology can draw insights from customer interactions and highlight inefficiencies hidden in c

228、ontact center data.Customized real-time dashboards help leaders stay on top of their contact center by delivering real-time insights.By gaining access to insights on performance data and key metrics,leaders will gain a true picture of their contact center.This will power more informed decision makin

229、g and promote positive change across the board.By staying on top of performance,organizations will better understand operations,outcomes and metrics to stay ahead of the competition.With this insight at their fingertips,leaders will be poised to deliver exceptional experiences that feel innovative a

230、nd relevant to modern customers.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 36CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|CompanyChallengeSolution/ResultQuadientQuadient was dealing with a significant volume of calls,with up to 40%of the call volume related to simple transactions.This placed a s

231、train on their resources and limited the capacity to focus on more complex tasks.Talkdesk had effectively doubled Quadients self-service capabilities,increasing efficiency and creating even better experiences for customers and agents.Upon implementation,they immediately saw a 60%containment rate,com

232、pared to the 33%containment rate they were experiencing before.These improvements in call containment means call volumes at peak seasons require fewer employees and less resources spent on recruiting and training instead of internal growth.Collins Community Credit UnionCollins Community Credit Union

233、s outdated contact center was using an antiquated contact center system that lacked detailed insight into member interactions.They only had access to high-level metrics like call volume,average call length,and abandonment rate.Collins Community benefited from AI-powered tools like Talkdesk Autopilot

234、,Talkdesk Copilot and Talkdesk Customer Experience Analytics.They saw call volume drop by over 33%and their abandonment rate dropped by half,from 30%to 14.5%.As theyve become more responsive to members and have lower call volumes,theyve also better allocated human resources in the contact center.All

235、 these results are due to increased self-service options.EmployBridgeEmployBridges first-generation contact center provider offered inadequate support and outdated technology.They recognized the growing importance of self-service options but lacked the capabilities to effectively implement agentless

236、 interactions and AI-driven solutions.EmployBridge is leveraging Talkdesk to help reduce human-assisted contacts by 20%while supporting a service level of at least 90%.For agent-driven interactions,Talkdesk Copilot provides real-time information and suggested actions to drive higher CSAT,lower handl

237、e time and improve customer experience.PeddlePeddle wanted to push the boundaries on innovation and take greater advantage of generative AI to improve efficiencies in their business and provide a better customer experience.EmployBridges first-generation contact center provider offered inadequate sup

238、port and outdated technology.They recognized the growing importance of self-service options but lacked the capabilities to effectively implement agentless interactions and AI-driven solutions.JK Moving ServicesJK Movings legacy contact center solution provided little insight into the customer experi

239、ence,lacked access to key metrics,and led to a low rate of lead follow-ups,resulting in a constant loss of new business and a low close rate of new customers.With Talkdesk Autopilot,JK Moving has replaced its legacy IVR call flows with more intelligent call routing.Talkdesk Autopilot also provides r

240、eal-time call transcripts,ensuring any transition to a live agent is seamless for the caller.The combination of Talkdesk Talkdesk Autopilot and Talkdesk AI Trainer has improved connection rates,increased the companys call handling by 37%,and reduced abandon rates by 7%all while only increasing headc

241、ount by 11%.With Talkdesks partnership JK Moving has implemented offshore contact centers,helping with overflow calls and the overall cost of salevastly improving customer experience.FarfetchFarfetch needed a scalable,reliable,and flexible contact center solution that could support their global oper

242、ations,address compliance requirements,and deliver an exceptional customer experience while improving agent productivity.Talkdesk Copilot has increased productivity and scalability within Farfetchs contact center operations by providing agents real-time tips and information based on their conversati

243、on with a customer.It also automates repetitive tasks in agent workflows,making their lives easier and enabling them to focus on more high-value interactions with customers and reducing handling/resolution times by more than 50%.Even customers have noticed:Farfetch has seen a 25%improvement in custo

244、mer satisfaction since implementing Talkdesk.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 37CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|CompanyChallengeSolution/ResultPogust GoodheadPogust Goodheads previous contact center setup consisted of multiple systems that created inefficient workflows,slo

245、wed down response times,and gave little insight into what was going on in their customer interactions.Manual processes for forwarding notes and talking points to supervisors and legal teams were inefficient and time-consuming.Pogust Goodhead leveraged Talkdesk AI for real-time transcription and sent

246、iment analysis,enhancing their understanding of customer interactions and enabling prompt issue resolution.They also automated repetitive tasks,saving agents time and boosting workflow efficiency.These initiatives resulted in$750,000 cost savings through increased agent efficiency.CAICAI recognized

247、that their legacy service desk solution wasnt helping them keep up with their scale or the demands of the modern service desk.Those demands include meeting customers where they are.CAIs legacy solution had limited functionality,and there wasnt enough R&D investment in the platform,meaning the platfo

248、rm lacked a roadmap for innovation.CAI uses Talkdesk AI and automation to save up to 8 minutes on each call,resulting in impactful operational gains.Agents appreciate Talkdesk Copilot and its ability to automatically summarize interactions,especially as the platforms omnichannel capability provides

249、an interaction summary when users transition from chat to call.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 38CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Having grown into the worlds largest travel guidance and services organization,Tripadvisor was operating a global patchwork of acquired technol

250、ogies in support of its robust set of services.Operational inefficiencies crept in and overhead increased over time,leading to the decision to consolidate customer support and telesales with NICE CXone.Tripadvisor Creates a Package Deal for Global CXA rapid implementation quickly produced results,in

251、cluding leadership in customer experience and millions of dollars in savings.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 39CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Case StudyTripadvisor Creates a Package Deal for Global CXHaving grown into the worlds largest travel guidance and services organ

252、ization,Tripadvisor was operating a global patchwork of acquired technologies in support of its robust set of services.Operational inefficiencies crept in and overhead increased over time,leading to the decision to consolidate customer support and telesales with NICE CXone.A rapid implementation qui

253、ckly produced results,including leadership in customer experience and millions of dollars in savings.CUSTOMER PROFILEABOUT Tripadvisor is the worlds largest travel guidance platform,helping hundreds of millions of people plan,book and enjoy trips,accommodations,tourist experiences and meals each mon

254、th.The company and its 5 major branded subsidiaries support travelers in 190 countries,with 2,000 agents and in 28 languages.The Tripadvisor websites share 860 million user reviews of 8.7 million businesses worldwide.Tripadvisor has also won Newsweeks award for Americas Best Customer Service three y

255、ears in a row.INDUSTRY TravelWEBSITE LOCATION WorldwideAGENTS Over 2,000GOALS Ensure frictionless,consistent customer experience Minimize operational costs Consolidate and streamline global operations Centralize CX management PRODUCTS NICE CXone NICE Omnichannel Session HandlingFEATURES Reducing ope

256、rating costs and increasing revenues by introducing operational efficiencies that improve performance,which in turn increases customer satisfaction.A single,centralized platform for standardizing contact center management worldwide,providing full visibility into customer experience and eliminating o

257、perational siloes.Customer IVR interactions REDUCED FROM 7 TO 2,IMPROVING FCRINDUSTRY-LEADING CUSTOMER EFFORT SCORE OF 70+63%63%FASTER new user creation,making it easy to rapidly scale to meet seasonal demandConsolidation reduced vendor contractsFROM 17 TO 3OVER 2,000 AGENTS MIGRATED IN 12 MONTHSMUL

258、TI-MILLION-DOLLAR SAVINGS On technology,infrastructure,and managementCUSTOMER PROFILEABOUTTripadvisor is the worlds largest travel guidance platform,helping hundreds of millions of people plan,book and enjoy trips,accommodations,tourist experiences and meals each month.The company and its 5 major br

259、anded subsidiaries support travelers in 190 countries,with 2,000 agents and in 28 languages.The Tripadvisor websites share 860 million user reviews of 8.7 million businesses worldwide.Tripadvisor has also won Newsweeks award for Americas Best Customer Service three years in a row.INDUSTRYTravelWEBSI

260、TELOCATIONWorldwideAGENTSOver 2,000GOALS Ensure frictionless,consistent customer experience Minimize operational costs Consolidate and streamline global operations Centralize CX managementPRODUCTS NICE CXone NICE Omnichannel Session HandlingFEATURES Reducing operating costs and increasing revenues b

261、y introducing operational efficiencies that improve performance,which in turn increases customer satisfaction.A single,centralized platform for standardizing contact center management worldwide,providing full visibility into customer experience and eliminating operational siloes.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET

262、 STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 40CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|01 THE BEFOREA Complex Global NetworkTripadvisor grew organically and through acquisition over many years from a price comparison site to an organization providing a wide range of travel and tourism services.The subsidiary wit

263、h the most contact center activity,for example,is the tour operations business,Viator.But it is far from the only one.Over time,different technologies and operational structures were assimilated or selected in different subsidiary business units.A heterogeneous technical environment developed,with a

264、 complex patchwork of contact center solutions and vendor agreements.02 DESIRE TO CHANGEGrowing PainsIt became progressively difficult to coordinate activities,service-level standards and employees among the 28 different companies under the Tripadvisor umbrella.Operational inefficiencies and overhea

265、d increased with the need for time-consuming and costly management efforts across multiple operational siloes,which also constrained the adoption of new technologies or more efficient processes.It was difficult,if not impossible,to share information,experience and context across a customers journey

266、with different Tripadvisor business units,which made it increasingly challenging to provide a consistent customer experience.In addition,the advent of the global pandemic presented the need for supporting a rapid transition from office-to home-based contact center teams.03 THE SOLUTIONA Single Globa

267、l Platform for Standardizing SuccessTripadvisor decided that the solution for standardizing its globe-spanning mix of customer support and telesales services was consolidation.The corporation launched an initiative to migrate its contact center activities to a single,centralized omnichannel platform

268、,NICE CXone,selected for its record of delivering operational efficiencies,reducing costs and improving performance.Integrated with core Tripadvisor systems and its telco network,the solution eliminated silos and enables consistent handling of interactions worldwide,while giving agents visibility in

269、to the full customer experience.With easily shared data,Tripadvisor is also obtaining new robust insights into customer behavior.NICE CXone implementation was completed within a remarkable 12-month time frame,including the migration of over 2,000 agents to the new platform without disrupting busines

270、s continuity.The project was successful thanks to collaboration between Tripadvisor and NICE on the discovery and design of functional specifications to meet the organizations specific requirements.This was followed by deployment,configuration,testing and the transition-business by business and mark

271、et by market of all global operations to the new environment.The Tripadvisor team took the opportunity to improve its workflows and technical designs,as well.04 THE RESULTSMore Efficient,Effective and Stable for EveryoneCXone has helped Tripadvisor create a seamless customer journey across group com

272、panies,as well as a consistent,frictionless experience along the way.Average handle times have been improved by providing agents the contextual data they need in real time with on-screen prompts and automating routine administrative tasks.Consolidation of call handling simplified the customers exper

273、ience with IVR,reducing it from 7 to 2 interactions for a typical brand,making it easier to find the right person to assist with their query and substantially increasing first-call resolution(FCR).The result has been an industry-leading Customer Effort Score that is consistently over 70.The efficien

274、cy and consolidation CXone made possible has generated multi-million-dollar savings and increased revenue for Tripadvisor.The corporation has slashed its technology,infrastructure and management costs with fewer licensing,storage and telco charges(vendor contracts were reduced from 17 to 3),as well

275、as the elimination of local PC software deployments and a single interface with common tools for contact center management.Tripadvisor consolidated multiple scheduling and forecasting applications into one,and standardized contract management worldwide.The new architecture,with its streamlined workf

276、lows,reduced administrative tasks and increased the speed of new user creation by 63%.This makes quickly scaling the workforce in response to seasonal demand easy and facilitated a rapid transition from office-to home-based work during the pandemic.2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Op

277、portunities 41CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|05 THE FUTUREA Framework for the Future“The new capabilities enabled by CXone solution and its ability to integrate with our in-house and third-party tools have opened the door to a pipeline of new initiatives,which will deliver numerous benefits over the c

278、oming years,”according to David Fox,Tripadvisors Senior Director for Global Telecoms Services.A few examples of the expanded or novel capabilities Tripadvisor is considering as of this writing include:automated ID and verification of customers,reducing handling time and outsourcing costs;interaction

279、 analytics,for greater insight across all channels;verified calling,intended to increase call acceptance among customers;feedback management,providing actionable intelligence on potential improvements;and new channels for customer interactions.“CXone has made it easy to support all our customer serv

280、ice and telesales organizations,delivering operational efficiencies,cost reduction and improved performance worldwide.”David Fox,Senior Director,Global Telecoms Services,TripadvisorABOUT NICEWith NICE(Nasdaq:NICE),its never been easier for organizations of all sizes around the globe to create extrao

281、rdinary customer experiences while meeting key business metrics.Featuring the worlds#1 cloud native customer experience platform,CXone,NICE is a worldwide leader in AI-powered self-service and agent-assisted CX software for the contact center and beyond.Over 25,000 organizations in more than 150 cou

282、ntries,including over 85 of the Fortune 100 companies,partner with NICE to transformand elevateevery customer 2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 42CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Appendix Modern Customer Service Your Way Talkdesk Contact Center KPI Benchmarking Report Ultima

283、te CX Real Results.No Hype.Drive Results with AI-Powered CX The CX Data Paradox Beyond Surveys:Building a Modern VoC Program 2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 43CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|2024 Editorial CalendarStrategic Planning For CX OperationsFebruary 9-11,2023 FEB

284、RUARY State Of Contact Center TechnologyApril 6-8,2023 APRILNew Standards For Customer Contact PerformanceMay 25-27,2023 MAY Business Continuity 2.0October 26-28,2023 OCTOBER Future Of The Contact Center:A ForecastDecember 14-16,2023DECEMBERCustomer Experience Trends,Challenges And InnovationsSeptem

285、ber 14-16,2023SEPTEMBER Modernizing Service Experiences With AI&DigitalJuly 20-22,2023JULY Future of Contact Center EmployeesModernizing Service Experiences With AI&DigitalNext-Generation Omnichannel CXFuture of the Contact CenterState of Generative AICX Trends,Challenges&OpportunitiesJANUARYAUGUSTS

286、EPTEMBERNOVEMBERAPRILJUNE2024 JUNE CCW MARKET STUDY|CX Trends,Challenges,&Opportunities 44CUSTOMER CONTACT WEEKDIGITAL|Meet the TeamBrian Cantor Principal Analyst,Director CCW Digital E:Brian.CAndy Kuang Senior Marketing Manager CCW Digital E:Andy.KMelinda Acuna Marketing Manager CCW Digital E:Melinda.ASimon Copcutt Head of Strategic Accounts CCW Digital E:Simon.CBrooke Lynch Divisional Director of Digital CCW Digital E:Brooke.LWandy Felicita Ortiz Content Analyst CCW Digital E:Ben McClymontt Director of Business Development CCW Digital E: