The pandemic and its resulting lockdowns have unsurprisingly had a major impact on the level of isolation that consumers experience. A study conducted by Genesys in partnership with Savanta highlights the important role that the right contact center solution can play in providing a highly connected customer experience.

The more than 2,000 study participants were all over the age of 18 and were representative of the general population in terms of gender, age, income, and location.

What does contact center technology have to do with social isolation during a pandemic? Considering that one in six consumers profiled in the study have called customer service simply to hear a human voice, the answer is plenty. Here are three ways your contact center solution can make a difference:

Empathy: The study showed that consumers prioritized empathy over speed when it came to their interactions with a contact center agent. They want service that makes it clear that the agent understands their problem or question, even if that means it takes longer to resolve the inquiry. Sixty-seven percent of respondents said that they preferred an empathetic agent to one that speedily resolves a problem.

Consumers listed an agent that listens to them as their first priority, followed by one that understands their needs (88% and 86%, respectively).

Familiarity: A contact center solution that equips your agents to access a full data history on each customer is a valuable way to improve customer experiences. Based on participant responses, the Genesys study demonstrated that two out of three consumers believe that when a company collects data on their behaviors and preferences, it leads to better experiences.

A big aspect of achieving these kinds of experiences is having contact center technology that equips agents with readily-available information, and that investment pays off. Among respondents, 33% reported that what makes a phenomenal customer experience is a company that remembers or knows them and even anticipates why they may be calling customer service.

It’s important to note that not every customer appreciates being known. While 46% say that a company that remembers them makes them feel more connected, 17% say it “creeps them out.” A contact center solution that can anticipate which customers may prefer to not know how much you know about them may be a feature to consider.

Non-Sales Communication:  When consumers talk about the companies that are offering excellent customer service, 52% of them are proactive about providing non-sales communications to customers. Nearly half of the respondents (49%) felt that this provided an especially positive experience, and 53% said they would welcome more information along these lines, such as troubleshooting tips, product maintenance, and general how-to articles.

Choosing the right contact center solution became more critical in the past couple of years. Not only are you focused on offering the right products and services to customers, but you may also be adding a goal of providing improved connections that build relationships between your agents and the customers they serve. Contact us at Access Tech to learn more about how to invest in technology that equips your agents to offer excellent connections.