Customer Experience Study de Interactive Intelligence

2013 Customer Experience Research Study | 1
Answering Two Key Questions…
“What do customers want in a great
service experience?”
“What do customers and companies want
from the technology behind that great
customer experience?”
Interactive Intelligence created separate surveys
to gather data to define a great customer service
experience for both populations.
The survey for consumers was fielded specifically
to individuals who had a non‐in‐person interaction
with a business in the last 12 months; for example,
an online or telephone order, web chat, or similar
type of interaction. The professional survey
targeted IT professionals and customer care
leaders in all industries who were responsible
for the technology behind a great customer
experience.

Background and Methodology
Surveying was conducted between February 28,
2013 and March 25, 2013. A total sample of 1407
and 453 was gathered for the consumer and
professional surveys, respectively, among the
following countries:

10 Key Findings and Conclusions
A knowledgeable representative and a
timely response are the most valuable
components of a great service experience
Hotels, online retailers, and banks provide
the best customer service experiences
Live agent remains the preferred interaction
type, followed by email and then there is a
significant drop to web chat, etc. (this varies
by age demographic)
Historical information access is deemed the
most valuable feature of an interaction
Not being able to understand the agent is
rated as the most frustrating part of an
interaction
Customers are more willing to use social
media to praise a good service experience
vs. complaining about a poor experience
Customers aren’t willing to pay extra for
higher level service
The ability to get a scheduled call‐back
was the most desired mobile application
functionality
The most valuable technical service to
offer customers is “an easy way to provide
feedback”
Comprehensive reporting and analytics is
the top feature desired by contact center
professionals


Summary of Findings – Consumer Survey
Interaction Questions

Which do you value most in a customer service interaction?
(Results displayed on a scale of 1‐5 with lower numbers representing higher rankings.)

Thinking about the things that frustrate you the most when interacting with
a business or service provider, please rate the following items:
(Results displayed include a response of ‘Very frustrating’ on a scale of 1‐5.)

4.2
3.1
3.0
2.4
2.2
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 Knowledgeable
Representative/Agent
Timely Response
Professionalism
Effective follow-up
EfficiencyLeastvalued
75%
71%
69%
66% 66% 66%
56%
42%
9%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80% When speaking on the phone you can't
understand the agent
Agent is condescending / demeaning
Lack of effort from the agent
Initial long wait time
Being transferred multiple times before
finding the right person to help
Agent doesn't have the knowledge to
answer my question
Need to repeat information at different
points of interaction
Being put on hold during your interaction
*Other


Have you ever had an exceptional customer service experience that made you
want to tell family or friends?

In your opinion, what industries provide the best customer service experience?
(Results displayed include a response of ‘Very best’ and ‘Somewhat best’ on a scale of 1‐5.)

59%
41%
Yes
No
61%
51%
45%
39%
35% 35% 35%
33% 32%
17%
0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70% Hotels
Online Retail Stores
Banks
Healthcare Providers
Insurance Companies
Airlines
Technology Providers (Cellular Phone,
Cable TV, Satellite TV)
Utility Providers (Gas, Power, Water)
Credit Card Providers
Government Agencies
*Other


What methods do you prefer most when it comes to interacting with customer service or support?
(Results displayed by average rank with lower numbers representing higher rankings.)

What methods do you prefer most when it comes to interacting with customer service or support?
(Results displayed by percent of most preferred.)

5.4
5.4
4.4
3.6
3.3
2.7
1.9
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0
Live Agent via phone
Email
Live agent via web chat
Website
Self Service from a Smartphone or
tablet
Social Media Outlet
*Other
Leastvalued
59%
17%
12%
5% 4%
1%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Live agent via phone
Email
Websites
tablet
Social Media Outlet


Now thinking of those businesses/services providers that you do repeat business with,
how valuable are the following attributes to you when you have an interaction with
customer service or support?
(Results displayed include a response of ‘Extremely valuable’ on a scale of 1‐4.)

What do you feel is the appropriate response time after submitting a question or request
using each of the following methods?

65%
49%
27%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Staff has access to my history and current
activities with that company
Having the same agent help you each time
Being greeted by name
8%
20%
8%
2%
10%
26%
30%
15%
3%
7%
41%
29%
25%
8%
11%
19%
12%
20%
12%
12%
6%
4%
16%
16%
12%
0%
3%
12%
24%
19%
2%
5%
35%
29%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Telephone Web Chat SMS/Text Email Website
Expect immediate
answer
Less than 1 minute
1 to less than 3
minutes
3 to less than 5
minutes
5 to less than 10
minutes
10 minutes or over
24 hours


What percent of the time do you use the following customer service or support methods
to interact with a business or service provider?

Would you be willing to pay a fee to receive a higher level of service?

52%
21%
9%
8%
4%
3%
3%
Phone
Email
Web chat
Website
SMS/Text
Social Media
Self-Service from a
Smartphone or tablet
Other (written, fax, etc.)
77%
14%
9%
No, I expect good service as part of
doing business
Yes, if reasonable
Yes, for certain service providers


Summary of Findings – Consumer Survey
Technology Questions

How valuable is having the following pieces of information available to an agent
before you have an interaction?
(Results displayed include a response of ‘Extremely valuable’ or ‘Valuable’ on a scale of 1‐4.)

With regards to customer service or support interactions, how valuable is it to you that a vendor
provides the following:

93%
90%
77%
64%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Account Information
Past conversations /
exchanges
Past purchase history
My location
94%
83%
56%
52%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
No need to repeat information if
transferred
The ability to provide feedback on
your interactions once completed
Offer self-service via mobile
applications
Offer speech recognition as well as
touch tone for self-service


Please rate the value of each of the following being available for you to use when you are
interacting with that company’s customer service or support:

Please rate the value of each of the following being available for you to use when you are
interacting with that company’s customer service or support:

95%
91%
64%
50%
47%
38%
34%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Phone
Email
Web chat
SMS/Text
Self-Service from a Smartphone or
tablet
Interactive voice response (IVR)
Social Media
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Total
Consumer Age
Phone
Email
Web chat
SMS/Text
Self-Service from a
Interactive voice
response (IVR)
Social Media


What would prompt you to share a customer service or support experience on a
social networking site?

Have you ever shared a customer service or support experience on a social networking site?

54%
36%
34%
26% 26% 25%
1%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Great experience
Horrendous experience
Terrible experience
Still looking for answers
None of these
Unanswered question
*Other
35%
28%
35%
20% 17%
13%
27%
65% 62% 65%
80% 83%
87%
73%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Total
Consumer Age
Yes
No


Which of the following best describes how you shared your experience?

Did the company respond to your satisfaction?

73%
40%
21%
15%
8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
On my personal Facebook wall
On the company's Facebook page
Tweeted the experience through
Twitter without mentioning the
company's name
Tweeted the experience through
Twitter with the company's name
on a hashtag
*Shared the experience on a
different social networking site
54%
46%
Yes
No


What frustrates you most about customer service or support interactions using a mobile device?

Which of the following capabilities do you value most in a customer service interaction
when using a mobile device?

13%
23%
28%
36%
No frustrations with customer service or
support when using a mobile device
Not having the ability to request a call
back / call back at a set time
Having to leave the app and manually
dial a customer service number
Sending an email then having to wait too
long until you get a response
3.5
3.5
3.2
3
1.8
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Ability for a call back when agent
becomes available
Phone self service
Automated proactive reminders or
notification
Speech recognition
Priority routing based on
membership, status, importance
Leastvalued


Summary of Findings – Professional Survey
Interaction Questions

What method of interaction with your customers does you organization most prefer?
(Results displayed by percent of most preferred.)

What method of interaction with your customers does you organization most prefer?

52%
19%
12% 12% 11%
6%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Email
Website
tablet
Social Media Outlet
Consumers preferred:
Phone - 59%
Email - 17%
4.0
3.4
3.4
3.0
2.8
2.0
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
Email
tablet
Website
Social Media Outlet
Leastvalued


What percent of time does your customer support or service organization use
each of the following channels with your customers?

Through which of the following social networks do you interact with customers?

34%
20%
13%
11%
8% 8%
7%
0%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Phone
Email
Web chat
Website
SMS / Text
Social Media
Self Service from a
*Other
94%
62%
42%
4%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
*Other


How valuable is it to you to be able to offer each of the following services to your customers?

Please rate the value of the technology solution's ability to provide customer interaction
via the following methods:

66%
60%
52%
44%
42% 42%
35% 34%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
An easy way to provide feedback on interactions
once completed
When transferred, the new agent has the customer's
information and they don't have to start over
Complete interaction history available to agents, no
matter the channel
Phone self service
Customer being able to place their self in queue for a
call back when agent becomes available
Priority routing based on membership, status,
importance
Offer self service via mobile applications
Offer speech recognition as well as touch tone in the
interactive voice response (IVR)
Consumers preferred:
Info transfer - 94%
Feedback ability - 83%
76%
60%
44%
33%
31% 31% 31%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Phone
Email
Web Chat
Social Media
Interactive voice response
(IVR)
SMS / Text
Self Service from a
Consumers ranked email at a strong 91%
Consumers ranked social media
last, although the % was similar
at 34%


How valuable are each of the following features to your ability to manage your
customer service and support services' needs business:

What do you feel is the appropriate response time after a customer submits a problem
using the following methods:

63%
59%
49%
45% 44% 44% 43%
34%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Comprehensive reporting
Real time monitoring and alerting
Screen pop customer information to an agent
when an interaction is routed to them
Management information available via portals /
dashboards
Single point of system administration
Connecting customers on mobile devices directly
to the contact center
Real time keyword spotting
Speech recognition
27%
15%
7%
6%
10%
26%
23%
16%
8%
9%
25%
28%
23%
11%
15%
9%
16%
21%
14%
13%
8%
9%
17%
20%
14%
3%
7%
11%
24%
19%
1%
2%
4%
17%
21%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Phone Web chat SMS / Text Email Website
Expect immediate
answer
Less than 1 minute
1 to less than 3
minutes
3 to less than 5
minutes
5 to less than 10
minutes
10 minutes or over
24-hours
Only 8% of consumers expected and
immediate answer to a phone call


Does your organization allow customers to pay a fee for higher level of service?

Do you think allowing customers to pay a fee for a higher level of service is a
beneficial option for your organization and / or your customers?

53%
47% Yes
No
77% of consumers won't pay
for a higher level of service if
offered
63%
18%
10%
9%
No, would not be beneficial to my
organization or customers
Yes, it would be a beneficial option
to both my organization and
customers
Yes, but only a beneficial option to
my customers
Yes, but only a beneficial option to
my organization


Conclusions
Based on consumer expectations, communications channels, and customer service outcomes, survey respondents
(“consumers”) around the globe share many of the same views in what contributes to a great customer experience.
Chief among those views is that a representative/agent who is knowledgeable, quick, and friendly in delivering an
effective response to an issue is seen as the most valued aspect of a customer service interaction. At the same time,
consumers consider their account information to be the most valuable piece of information an agent can have
available before interacting with them. Equally important to consumers is not having to repeat information if
transferred during an interaction. Regardless of their country of origin, consumers prefer to interact by phone
with a live agent, followed by email and web chat, and consider an acceptable telephone wait time to be less than
3 minutes. Not being able to understand an agent when speaking on the phone, however, is a leading frustration.
More consumers also have used a laptop and/or desktop computer for customer service vs. a smartphone or tablet,
while 52% of consumers have used or would use Facebook to interact with a company for customer service. For
mobile customer service, smartphone use is at present far higher than tablet use, with the most valuable mobile
capability being the option to request a call back. Conversely, when interacting via email, mobile consumers dislike
having to wait too long to get a response. By industry and service sector, consumers report that industries providing
the best customer service experiences are hotels, online retail stores, and banks. Technology companies, utilities
and government agencies are rated worst. Ultimately, consumers expect high levels of service to be the standard
for customer service, and they are not willing to pay extra for service that must be otherwise optimized.
Key findings of our Professional Survey mirror many of those from our Consumer Survey. Professionals, for
instance, value a timely response most in a service or support interaction with their customers. Live agent phone
interactions are also the preferred method by professionals’ organizations when interacting with customers,
followed by email, and then web chat. (An exception is Germany, in which email is the most valuable
communication method, followed by the phone.) Professionals additionally agree with consumers that wait times
should be less than 3 minutes for phone calls, as well as for web chats. Somewhat different than consumers,
professionals use social media at a higher rate, with their companies having used Facebook (94%) and Twitter (64%)
to interact with customers. As reported by all professionals, the most valuable service to offer customers is an easy
way for them to provide feedback once their interactions are completed. Similarly among professionals overall,
comprehensive reporting is seen as the top feature in managing their organizations’ business needs for customer
and support services. Technology‐wise, 87% of professionals indicate that their organization is satisfied with their
communication software and services, although only 36% of professionals say they have had an exceptional
experience with a company that provides communication software and services. (Professionals reporting an
exceptional experience cite “quality of technologies” as well as “the (vendor) company’s ability to deliver an apt
and effective response if an issue arises.”). Lastly, whereas 53% of professionals/organizations surveyed allow their
customers to pay a fee for a higher level of service, more professionals in Germany, South Africa, and North
America report that their organization does not.
Overall, the quest for delivering a great customer experience is a top priority for companies. And consumers are
making it clear that they have certain preference, likes, and dislikes. As this research shows, the more providers can
align with the details of what consumers are looking for in a great customer experience, the more the service
experience can become a great competitive differentiator for their business.


Interactive Intelligence offers unified business communications solutions for contact
center automation, unified communications, and business process automation, based
on our open standards, all-in-one software suite. More than 5,000 organizations
worldwide currently benefit from our cloud-based Communications as a Service (CaaS)
offerings and on-premises solutions, including value-added services for software,
hardware, implementation, consulting, support, and education.
At Interactive Intelligence, it’s what we do.
www.inin.com
© 2013 Interactive Intelligence, Inc. All rights reserved
World Headquarters
7601 Interactive Way
Indianapolis, IN 46278 USA
+1 317 872 3000 voice and fax
Toll Free: 800.267.1364
EMEA Headquarters
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Slough, Berkshire, SL1 1QE
United Kingdom
+44 1753 418 800
Asia Pacific Headquarters
8 Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
+60 3 2776-3333 voice
+60 3 2776-3343 fax

Customer Experience Study de Interactive Intelligence

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