New TeleTech CX Benchmark Report Shows Customers Want Their Issues Solved Fast and Easily

Businesses and Consumers Agree Voice Customer Experience Interactions Still Important and a Channel of Choice; Consumers Rate Companies Low on Channel Integration and Transaction Time

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TeleTech Holdings, Inc.

Jan 13, 2016, 04:15 ET

DENVER, Jan. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TeleTech Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTEC), a leading provider of customer experience, engagement and growth solutions, has published new research that examines whether consumers and businesses have the same priorities when it comes to customer experiences.

The 2015 TeleTech Customer Experience Benchmark Report is based on findings from a survey of 176 customer experience professionals and 3,515 consumers that gauged their perceptions of how businesses deliver customer experience. The results show that while in some cases both groups align, in others, they remain disconnected on what is top of mind.

Not surprisingly, all businesses surveyed report that they are strong in customer experience areas, but many consumers disagreed - particularly around channel integration and transaction time. Only 28 percent of consumers rate the companies they do business with as "high" in terms of ease of switching from one channel to another, for example. Keeping a frictionless customer experience when changing channels remains a priority for consumers, and an area of need for businesses.

Unexpectedly, consumers both young and old agreed with the business respondents that voice experience interactions still dominate. In most traditional industries, business respondents reported that voice is not declining as a channel of choice, particularly for issues that are time sensitive or complex. Similarly, 72 percent of consumers believe that "speaking directly" to an associate is important, especially when the issue is complicated. Most consumers report they are very receptive to voice as a method of communication when it comes to making purchases or getting support.

The survey found that businesses and consumers agree that improving self-help website capabilities is very important and both ranked this CX objective at the top of their priority lists. Consumers prefer to use self-service tools for simple interactions, and prioritize voice for the more difficult communications. Providing timely and customized customer engagement using live chat also ranked high for consumers (ahead of mobile apps and social media) and slightly lower for business respondents.

Other findings from the research show a potential disconnect in customer expectations versus business priorities. Channel improvements around mobile, social media, and video remain top business priorities, while consumers of all ages prefer companies first make foundational improvements in first call resolution, skilled and knowledgeable associates, and simplified interactions before exploring new channels. This includes better web self-service, and simple voice/chat improvements.

"We've seen commitment to the customer experience grow among businesses in all industries. TeleTech's recent CX survey confirms it continues to be an area of significant business investment," said Keith Gallacher, EVP of Global Markets and Industries, TeleTech. "Where and when to invest is the question businesses are trying to answer, and the balance between where consumer need is heading versus immediate challenges remains a tricky balance for most businesses to address. To stay innovative and a market leader, companies must align their CX efforts to meet their customers' needs today and also quickly mobilize on what's next to remain relevant in the future."

To learn more about what businesses can do to more effectively align their investments with customer priorities and preferences, download the full 2015 TeleTech Customer Experience Benchmark Report.

ABOUT TELETECH

TeleTech is a leading global provider of customer experience, engagement and growth solutions. Founded in 1982, the Company helps its clients acquire, retain and grow profitable customer relationships. Using customer-centric strategy, technology, processes and operations, TeleTech partners with business leadership across marketing, sales and customer care to design and deliver a simple, more human customer experience across every interaction channel. Servicing over 80 countries, TeleTech's 41,000 employees live by a set of customer-focused values that guide relationships with clients, their customers, and each other. To learn more about how TeleTech is bringing humanity to the customer experience, visit TeleTech.com.