The Rise of a New Customer Support Experience

There’s no denying that the invention of the smartphone revolutionized nearly everything, especially the way we communicate with each other. Think about how you communicate today with friends and family. You call them directly, but you also send text messages, chat through apps, and share photos and videos. Sometimes, you do all of this within the same interaction. In UJET’s new report, “Optimizing Channels for Customer Support,” we found that customers across all age demographics and locations want the way they communicate with customer support to replicate the way they interact with each other.

The Migration toward Text-Based Support Channels

While phone-based support is still common, especially for urgent issues, the adoption of text-driven support channels is well underway. The common perception is that this migration is being led predominately by millennial and Gen Z customers, however, our research found that customers of all age demographics are interested in support experiences involving in-app messaging, text/SMS channels, live web chat and more. For example, when looking across all age demographics, 72 percent of respondents said texting with a support agent in real-time would improve their support experience. And 70 percent of all respondents listed in-app messaging and chat as ways that would enhance their experience with customer support.

A Support Experience Reflective of Modern Devices

While many support organizations have focused on ensuring they have support available across multiple channels, fewer have emphasized the importance of truly optimizing those channels for modern-day devices. Customers today are in search of a support experience that mimics the devices they are using and the way they communicate with each other. For example, 67 percent of customers said they would want the option to upload and share a photo while interacting with support, so an agent can visually understand the problem. And 66 percent said having the option to upload and share screenshots would improve their experience. And finally, 43 percent of customers said using mobile device features such as facial recognition and thumbprint verification to identify and authorize an account would be a benefit to their experience with customer support.

Most people don’t view customer service as a revenue driver within a business. However, market research company Forrester shows that companies delivering a great customer experience saw a 17-percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), whereas poor customer experience delivered just 3 percent over the same period. Delivering a new kind of support experience that infuses text-based and in-app channels with smartphone features such as photo, video and screenshot sharing, and facial and thumbprint verification, companies of all sizes and industries can begin laying the foundation for a one-of-a-kind, VIP-like support experience that will help them stand out above the rest.

As founder and CEO of UJET, Anand Janefalkar is focused on leading UJET into its next stage of growth by providing the tools and technology businesses need to create an immersive, engaging and one-of-a-kind customer experience. Prior to UJET, Janefalkar held key roles at both Motorola and Jawbone, as well as serving as a technical advisor for various startups in the Bay Area. Janefalkar holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics from Mumbai University and a Master of Science in Telecommunications from Southern Methodist University.

Did You Know?

Market research from Forrester shows that companies delivering a great customer experience saw a 17-percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), whereas poor customer experience delivered just 3 percent over the same period.