Talkdesk, Inc., a global cloud contact center leader for customer-obsessed companies, released a new Talkdesk Research report, The Future of Retail Customer Service: Interactive and Unified. The findings indicate that despite the current economic outlook, retailers are investing in customer experience (CX) tools to drive revenue (58%) and evolving their customer service approach to deliver more interactive, unified engagements. The report offers a view into the top industry priorities for customer service and addresses the roadblocks to delivering these experiences.
“For too long, many brands have deprioritized differentiation through service. What is promising to see is the pivot from cost reduction being a top consideration for CX investments. Instead, brands now understand the strategic importance of engaging service experiences as a way to drive growth and retention”
“For too long, many brands have deprioritized differentiation through service. What is promising to see is the pivot from cost reduction being a top consideration for CX investments. Instead, brands now understand the strategic importance of engaging service experiences as a way to drive growth and retention,” said Shannon Flanagan, vice president of retail and consumer goods, Talkdesk. “While they’re committed to push beyond transactional and reactive customer service, their efforts are being stymied by talent and technology challenges. The latest Talkdesk Research highlights the shifts in priorities and demonstrates ways brands can reach their CX goals today.”
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Customer loyalty will be fostered by interactive engagement across channels
Although customer acquisition still ranks high in the list of desired outcomes, CX professionals across industries point to customer retention as the new North Star. To successfully drive shopper loyalty, brands must cultivate deeper relationships with customers, investing in channels that allow ongoing, interactive engagement.
- Two in five respondents plan to invest in video chat (41%) and voice-based, artificial intelligence (AI) virtual agents (39%). Nearly a third (31%) say they will invest in livestream video channels, such as YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitch for customer support.
- One in four retailers (24%) plan to deliver consistent, interactive engagement via next-generation channels like the metaverse and support augmented or virtual reality interactions within two years, while 12% say they are already doing it .
SOURCE: Businesswire