Customer Support Software Featured Articles

When it comes to the customer support software market, the focus has changed from one in which agents try to get through as many callers as possible, to one where agents are trying to make the callers they talk to as happy as possible. In other words, the tone of customer support has shifted from quantity to quality. This is backed up by the findings of a recent customer support poll conducted by Harris on behalf of NICE. Among other things, the poll found that most customers want swift, accurate answers and they want to be able to actually talk to a human being.

Specifically, the poll found that 59 percent of those who responded say they most value having their issues resolved quickly and efficiently. When contact a company by phone, they also want to make sure that their issue is being handled correctly. The poll also found that as many as 23 percent would rather have a conversation with a person and have it be a real person, than having someone read something off a script.

Hold time doesn’t appear to be an issue, as long as people are able to talk to a person at the end of that hold time. Just 6 percent of people who participated in the poll said that hold time was actually important. In total, the poll showed what most firms have already figured out, that customer support is priority number one for most customers.

This means that when customers call, they are looking for an operator that understands the company they work for and what kinds of services the company offers. They also want an operator that has customer empathy and can actually put themselves in the caller’s shoes. When customers contact these centers through methods other than voice calls, they expect a quick response time with answers that actually solve the problems. Receiving multiple emails, all basically just saying “we received your inquiry” are not appreciated.

Overall, these findings could help inform customer support software providers as they work to improve their offerings and make them more effective for their target audience.