Every industry on the market evolves, and the customer support industry isn’t different at all. Each year, there are new trends whose importance is crucial for businesses.
So, what are the trends that will shape the customer support industry in 2022?
#1 Integration of AI Chatbots
With the introduction of Artificial Intelligence, this technology transformed the world and the market we know today.
Among the numerous fields in which AI is integrated, customer support belongs as well especially if we take into consideration chatbots.
Nowadays, and in the future that comes, AI bots will evolve continuously. While at the same time, the number of companies that use them will grow proportionally.
The main idea behind the introduction of this technology is that it will serve as additional support to the customer support team since they simulate human-like conversation.
In comparison to the regular chatbots, the AI-based ones are far more effective and can nearly substitute the performance of an actual call agent.
#2 Mobile-First
Smartphones have undoubtedly changed the way of our lives. Their rise in popularity made us do things with a simple tap on the screen.
According to a study, In 2021, the number of smartphone users in the world today is 6.378 Billion. Sounds a lot? Well, it is.
This translates to 80,69% of people that have smartphones today.
Due to this, more and more businesses go mobile-first, and then they prioritize desktop support.
The customer support industry is aware of this since customers use their smartphones for a variety of reasons.
They make purchases, surf on the Internet, use social media, etc. Therefore, businesses that will fail to optimize their services both on the web and desktop will be sentenced to failure.
#3 Omnichannel Support Will Get Stronger
Customers’ needs always have to be met, and their demands fulfilled most suitably – to them. Therefore, business activities should always be focused on these two pillars.
So, what’s omnichannel support? The most basic definition you’ll get is the following: “a systematic approach that focuses on providing seamless customer experience by integrating multiple channels into a single system“.
To get an even clearer idea of this approach, we will provide you with a good example.
For instance, a company can offer a combination of support through social media, live chat, email, and phone, instead of only one channel.
This trend exists for years already, and we expect the same in 2022 as well.
#4 Personalization will rule the industry
Nowadays, customers want to have a truly personalized experience when they interact with businesses.
This is expected, honestly, and it is completely understandable. What’s also interesting is that users are willing to pay more to receive this “luxury”.
So, it is a win-win situation, plus, by utilizing personalization, companies will prevent customer churn. Also, there are numerous other benefits, such as consistency, increased customer loyalty, competitive advantage, etc.
Having these facts in mind, the “personalization” trend will continue to grow and will become one of the factors of the customer support industry in 2022.
#5 Self-Service
Yup, you’ve read this right. Self-service is among the trends that will surely circle the industry in 2022.
The reason is very simple though. Namely, customers won’t be obliged to wait for someone else to solve their issues, but they can do this by themselves.
How? Well, let’s assume that you, as a customer, would like to order something. Instead of calling, you can order what you wish for with a simple click.
So, an automated checkout will fulfill your needs, and you will cut time in calling or waiting behind the lines.
Conclusion:
To summarize everything, businesses are constantly trying to figure out ways to improve the overall customer experience.
The aforementioned trends are only a few of the many that will undoubtedly make customers happy enough to continue with your brand.
So, let’s see what the future holds. Either way, one thing is for sure – the customer support industry will constantly evolve!