Racing to resolve the ‘Engagement Capability Hole’: Corporations leaning into customer support tech

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Because the pandemic continues to impression manufacturers and companies, organizations are racing to resolve the Engagement Capability Hole (ECG), leaning into customer support expertise to assist digital-first engagement and extra empathic connections with prospects, and scrambling to take care of a litany of different trials and tribulations, new analysis from CX agency Verint.

Final 12 months, the agency launched its seminal analysis on the ECG led to by new workforce dynamics, ever-expanding buyer engagement channels, and exponentially extra shopper interactions—all which should be managed with restricted funds and assets. This 12 months’s analysis exhibits new pressures are impacting the ECG, creating new challenges for manufacturers, and 76 % of respondents consider these challenges will enhance in 2022.

Racing to resolve the ‘Engagement Capacity Gap’: Companies leaning into customer service tech

Respondents cited their high technology-led buyer engagement initiatives are supporting improved agent expertise and well-being (60 %), digital-first buyer engagement (59%), and supporting agent steerage for expressing empathy (58 %).

Nonetheless reeling from the dramatic results of the pandemic, companies are dealing with new challenges, together with provide chain points and staffing shortages. Fifty-two % have buyer engagement difficulties stemming from provide chain points, whereas 71 % discover retaining gifted staff to be reasonably or extremely difficult. Whereas final 12 months’s survey confirmed many organizations had throttled again on hiring plans, this 12 months’s survey exhibits a marked change—60 % plan to extend staffing ranges to assist buyer engagement in 2022 (up 9 % from final 12 months.)

Racing to resolve the ‘Engagement Capacity Gap’: Companies leaning into customer service tech

“Two years into the pandemic, organizations see a way forward for fixed change and continued challenges – notably whereas dealing with important staffing points amid the ‘Nice Resignation’ and widespread disruption within the world provide chain—points that seemingly haven’t any decision in sight,” stated Celia Fleischaker, Verint’s chief advertising and marketing officer, in a information launch. “Whereas manufacturers have gotten over the preliminary shock and disruption of the pandemic, they now are working in a state of ‘disruption as ordinary,’ needing to reply to ongoing speedy change.”

Fleischaker continues, “Manufacturers are transferring past reorienting operations for distant work; in 2022 the main target is on bettering efficiency and main with empathy to uplevel the shopper and worker expertise for the long-term.”

Racing to resolve the ‘Engagement Capacity Gap’: Companies leaning into customer service tech

Zeroing in on crucial wants and capabilities

In 2021, organizations upped budgets for digital-first initiatives/channels; 41 % elevated budgets for voice of the shopper and expertise administration, 40 % for chatbots and clever digital assistants (IVAs), 39 % for social messaging for customer support, and 35 % for communities.

Transferring ahead, 35 % plan to extend their budgets for chatbots and IVAs to assist beleaguered brokers enhance effectivity and decisioning, and 37 % plan to bolster investments in data administration, as “the flexibility to rapidly discover info to higher serve prospects” was famous as a high workforce objective in 2022.As the pandemic continues to impact brands and businesses, organizations are racing to resolve the Engagement Capacity Gap (ECG), leaning into customer service technology to support digital-first engagement and more empathic connections with customers, and scrambling to deal with a litany of other trials and tribulations, new research from CX firm Verint. Last year, the firm introduced its seminal research on the ECG brought about by new workforce dynamics, ever-expanding customer engagement channels, and exponentially more consumer interactions—all which must be managed with limited budget and resources. This year’s research shows new pressures are impacting the ECG, creating new challenges for brands, and 76 percent of respondents believe these challenges will increase in 2022. INSERT ecg1 Respondents cited their top technology-led customer engagement initiatives are supporting improved agent experience and well-being (60 percent), digital-first customer engagement (59%), and supporting agent guidance for expressing empathy (58 percent). Still reeling from the dramatic effects of the pandemic, businesses are facing new challenges, including supply chain issues and staffing shortages. Fifty-two percent have customer engagement difficulties stemming from supply chain issues, while 71 percent find retaining talented workers to be moderately or highly challenging. While last year’s survey showed many organizations had throttled back on hiring plans, this year’s survey shows a marked change—60 percent plan to increase staffing levels to support customer engagement in 2022 (up 9 percent from last year.) INSERT ecg2 “Two years into the pandemic, organizations see a future of constant change and continued challenges - particularly while facing significant staffing issues amid the ‘Great Resignation’ and widespread disruption in the global supply chain—issues that seemingly have no resolution in sight,” said Celia Fleischaker, Verint’s chief marketing officer, in a news release. “While brands have gotten over the initial shock and disruption of the pandemic, they now are operating in a state of ‘disruption as usual,’ needing to respond to ongoing rapid change.” Fleischaker continues, “Brands are moving beyond reorienting operations for remote work; in 2022 the focus is on improving performance and leading with empathy to uplevel the customer and employee experience for the long-term.” INSERT ecg3 Zeroing in on critical needs and capabilities In 2021, organizations upped budgets for digital-first initiatives/channels; 41 percent increased budgets for voice of the customer and experience management, 40 percent for chatbots and intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs), 39 percent for social messaging for customer service, and 35 percent for communities. Moving forward, 35 percent plan to increase their budgets for chatbots and IVAs to help beleaguered agents improve efficiency and decisioning, and 37 percent plan to bolster investments in knowledge management, as “the ability to quickly find information to better serve customers” was noted as a top workforce goal in 2022. INSERT ecg4 Quality and performance solutions were the most implemented and expanded solutions last year, and respondents say they will continue to be a top budget expenditure in 2022. Other top focus areas in 2021 were workforce management and compliance, security and fraud. Understanding and acting on consumer behaviors and building enduring customer relationships were the top two challenges noted in last year’s research and remain the top two challenges in the year ahead. Nearly half (47 percent) saw obtaining a unified view of customer experience as a key challenge while much of their customer interaction data sits in multiple data silos. Respondents are embracing the means to support kinder, gentler, more human-centric engagement—and companies are devising technology-infused strategies to safeguard both employee wellness and the delivery of empathic customer engagement. Ninety-one percent have adopted technology and strategies to support greater empathy in their customer engagement efforts for 2022. INSERT ecg5 Download the full report here. An independent research firm collected the data between Dec. 2 – Dec. 23, 2021, via a customized online survey. The survey group consisted of 2,742 individuals who are decision-makers/recommenders/influencers for customer engagement and experience solutions for their organizations operating across 13 different countries and regions worldwide.

High quality and efficiency options had been probably the most carried out and expanded options final 12 months, and respondents say they’ll proceed to be a high funds expenditure in 2022. Different high focus areas in 2021 had been workforce administration and compliance, safety and fraud.

Understanding and appearing on shopper behaviors and constructing enduring buyer relationships had been the highest two challenges famous in final 12 months’s analysis and stay the highest two challenges within the 12 months forward. Practically half (47 %) noticed acquiring a unified view of buyer expertise as a key problem whereas a lot of their buyer interplay information sits in a number of information silos.

Respondents are embracing the means to assist kinder, gentler, extra human-centric engagement—and corporations are devising technology-infused methods to safeguard each worker wellness and the supply of empathic buyer engagement. Ninety-one % have adopted expertise and methods to assist larger empathy of their buyer engagement efforts for 2022.

As the pandemic continues to impact brands and businesses, organizations are racing to resolve the Engagement Capacity Gap (ECG), leaning into customer service technology to support digital-first engagement and more empathic connections with customers, and scrambling to deal with a litany of other trials and tribulations, new research from CX firm Verint. Last year, the firm introduced its seminal research on the ECG brought about by new workforce dynamics, ever-expanding customer engagement channels, and exponentially more consumer interactions—all which must be managed with limited budget and resources. This year’s research shows new pressures are impacting the ECG, creating new challenges for brands, and 76 percent of respondents believe these challenges will increase in 2022. INSERT ecg1 Respondents cited their top technology-led customer engagement initiatives are supporting improved agent experience and well-being (60 percent), digital-first customer engagement (59%), and supporting agent guidance for expressing empathy (58 percent). Still reeling from the dramatic effects of the pandemic, businesses are facing new challenges, including supply chain issues and staffing shortages. Fifty-two percent have customer engagement difficulties stemming from supply chain issues, while 71 percent find retaining talented workers to be moderately or highly challenging. While last year’s survey showed many organizations had throttled back on hiring plans, this year’s survey shows a marked change—60 percent plan to increase staffing levels to support customer engagement in 2022 (up 9 percent from last year.) INSERT ecg2 “Two years into the pandemic, organizations see a future of constant change and continued challenges - particularly while facing significant staffing issues amid the ‘Great Resignation’ and widespread disruption in the global supply chain—issues that seemingly have no resolution in sight,” said Celia Fleischaker, Verint’s chief marketing officer, in a news release. “While brands have gotten over the initial shock and disruption of the pandemic, they now are operating in a state of ‘disruption as usual,’ needing to respond to ongoing rapid change.” Fleischaker continues, “Brands are moving beyond reorienting operations for remote work; in 2022 the focus is on improving performance and leading with empathy to uplevel the customer and employee experience for the long-term.” INSERT ecg3 Zeroing in on critical needs and capabilities In 2021, organizations upped budgets for digital-first initiatives/channels; 41 percent increased budgets for voice of the customer and experience management, 40 percent for chatbots and intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs), 39 percent for social messaging for customer service, and 35 percent for communities. Moving forward, 35 percent plan to increase their budgets for chatbots and IVAs to help beleaguered agents improve efficiency and decisioning, and 37 percent plan to bolster investments in knowledge management, as “the ability to quickly find information to better serve customers” was noted as a top workforce goal in 2022. INSERT ecg4 Quality and performance solutions were the most implemented and expanded solutions last year, and respondents say they will continue to be a top budget expenditure in 2022. Other top focus areas in 2021 were workforce management and compliance, security and fraud. Understanding and acting on consumer behaviors and building enduring customer relationships were the top two challenges noted in last year’s research and remain the top two challenges in the year ahead. Nearly half (47 percent) saw obtaining a unified view of customer experience as a key challenge while much of their customer interaction data sits in multiple data silos. Respondents are embracing the means to support kinder, gentler, more human-centric engagement—and companies are devising technology-infused strategies to safeguard both employee wellness and the delivery of empathic customer engagement. Ninety-one percent have adopted technology and strategies to support greater empathy in their customer engagement efforts for 2022. INSERT ecg5 Download the full report here. An independent research firm collected the data between Dec. 2 – Dec. 23, 2021, via a customized online survey. The survey group consisted of 2,742 individuals who are decision-makers/recommenders/influencers for customer engagement and experience solutions for their organizations operating across 13 different countries and regions worldwide.

Obtain the complete report right here.

An impartial analysis agency collected the information between Dec. 2 – Dec. 23, 2021, through a custom-made on-line survey. The survey group consisted of two,742 people who’re decision-makers/recommenders/influencers for buyer engagement and expertise options for his or her organizations working throughout 13 totally different nations and areas worldwide.