Demographic Reality: Consumers Expect More, Faster; Contact Centers Struggling to Provide It

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer satisfaction with contact centers is at an all-time low, driven by the inability of contact centers to resolve issues on the first call and a growing impatience consumers have with navigating Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems.

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Using American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) methodology, the latest Contact Center Satisfaction Index (CCSI) released today by CFI Group has the lowest score in the study's nine-year history. 2016's CCSI of 68 on a 0 to 100-point scale represents a four-point slide from 72 in 2015. This drop in CCSI is largely driven by the difficulties contact centers are experiencing in quickly and effectively solving customer issues.  Just 52-percent of contacts were resolved on the first contact (down 6 percent from 2015) and a full one-third of consumers could not successfully self-serve through the IVR system. Both issues contribute to this considerable drop in satisfaction.

Particularly notable is the generation gap at work. The CCSI 2016 shows a widening satisfaction gap between Millennials and those age 45 and above. Having grown up in an on-demand digital world, Millennials have high expectations for contact center support.

"Expectation of Millennials are completely different from those of any generation preceding it," said CFI Group CEO Sheri Petras. "Millennials simply expect the information to be available at their fingertips. Just having to reach out to a contact center at all because they couldn't find the information themselves with a few taps on their phone puts an organization behind the 8-ball right away. And when half of these inquiries are not resolved with the first contact, you are creating ill will among a key customer base. Millennials are now the nation's largest living demographic, so paying attention to the preferences of this group is absolutely critical if contact centers hope to thrive in this changing customer service environment."

To obtain the complete Call Center Satisfaction Index report, including specific detail by industries, visit www.cfigroup.com.

 About CFI Group (www.cfigroup.com)
Since 1988, CFI Group has delivered customer experience measurement and business insights from its Ann Arbor, Michigan headquarters and a network of global offices. As founding partner of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), CFI Group is the only company within the United States licensed to apply ACSI methodology in both the private and public sectors. Using this patented technology and top research experts, CFI Group uncovers the business drivers and financial impact of customer experience.

Media Contact: 
Rich Rezler
Rezler Communications for CFI Group
Email
(734) 358-1910

SOURCE CFI Group