The rise of artificial intelligence is leading many people to predict that the future of customer service will be driven by automation and technology, without the need for human agents to interact with consumers. However success will be more about balancing humans and technology in order to meet consumer needs.
Amidst all the talk of artificial intelligence, chatbots and the Internet of Things transforming the relationship between brands and consumers, it is easy to forget the vital importance of the human element to successful customer service. How can you balance both?
Local authorities across the UK are under constant pressure to increase efficiency and productivity, while delivering a high quality experience to the public. Birmingham City Council (BCC) is a prime example of an authority that is successfully transforming how it delivers customer experience.
As we come to the end of a busy 2017 it is a good time to review the year, and in particular to look at the most important developments in customer experience over the last 12 months. What were the hot topics and what were the major changes in the market? Based on the topics covered in the Eptica blog that received the most interest, we’ve put together a top 7 posts from across 2017.
The run up to Christmas is both the busiest time of year for most brands and the most stressful for consumers. So it is no surprise that consumers become more demanding of the brands that they deal with during this time. How can they cope?
We live in the age of the connected consumer. Everyone understands the huge amount of time people spend on their mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets – there is even a term (Nomophobia), describing the increased anxiety we feel when we are away from our mobile. What does this mean for customer experience and customer service?
How good are European companies at delivering the customer experience that consumers demand? The latest Forrester research paints a mixed picture, with companies in the UK, France and Germany all lagging behind the United States. The recently released Forrester 2017 European Customer Experience Indexes found that CX worsened in the UK and stayed poor in France.
The rapid rise of digital channels and mobile devices means it’s easier than ever for consumers to engage and ask questions of brands they want to do business with. But many companies – and even whole industry sectors - are struggling to cope with the sheer volume of customer contacts and queries, according to the 2017 Eptica Multichannel Customer Conversation Study
Noted expert on customer experience, Régine Vanheems explains the challenges that brands face when it comes to digital CX, and how technology can help overcome them.
We’re now part way through National Customer Service Week (NCSW), which provides the industry in the US and UK with the chance to take stock, celebrate success and share best practice. However, as well as celebrating current successes, NCSW provides a chance to pause and to look forward - what will customer service be like in the future?