Date published 19 Mar 2019 Boosting the bottom line with an extraordinary customer experience With customer service jobs and shopfronts increasingly being replaced by automated service and online stores, smart businesses are recognising the need to shape a better customer experience to drive a long-term, profitable bottom line. Senior Business Director, Paul Murray, predicts the trend towards using technology to lower costs and increase short term sales will continue to infiltrate many types of business despite the fact little to no human interaction often results in a less satisfying experience for the customer. Increased automation is not a fad. Technology will continue to challenge the human role in customer service for the simple reason that it’s cost effective. Just look at the 14 cent per person cost to process a passenger through an electronic terminal compared to the $3 per person it costs when airline staff perform the same function. The supermarket giants were eager to reap the financial benefits of self-serve check-outs, but there was a mixed reaction from customers. While some shoppers might prefer less queue waiting time there’s been a backlash from the older demographic who still insist on and crave human interaction from their shopping experience. According to Paul there are many advantages to new algorithms when it comes to information gathering and customer profiling that allow vendors to better target their niche customer base. Not all customers are the same; some segments don’t want any human interaction, and some do. Businesses need to know and understand the difference between their customers. They also need to know when to use technology along the customer experience. Technology can offer a better customer experience when it simplifies annoying transactional interactions and enable companies to allocate teams to provide richer service elsewhere. For example, a B2B company can simplify the ordering process and free up the sales team to focus on better understanding needs and providing valuable advice. The future points to even more sophisticated algorithms that will imitate and sometimes even surpass human interaction despite the massive and sometimes invasive data gathering capabilities. However, technology must not become the end but rather be the means to the end: in order to compete, businesses will need to sharpen their marketing and analytical skills and strategically harness technology to deliver a richer customer experience and drive sustainable earnings. At Metrix, we work with clients to identify what is really important to their customers. In some cases, it could be lower prices, speed of resolution, ease of business, or a conversation. It is vital to direct resources towards seeking and identifying your customers, understanding the customer experience and making sure you are meeting your customer’s needs with the best service experience possible. Back To News & Views