Top 5 Customer Experience Trends for 2022

2022 will be the year of further digitalization as customers are now used to online or phygital experiences! They have no interest in going back to how it used to be and Customer Experience still will be the differentiating factor when it comes to satisfaction,  loyalty and sales. So let's analyze the 5 trends for 2022!

Hundreds of people talk about improving CX in 2022 but what does it mean?

Improving CX is a concept that involves everything from the level of service to how well products fit into their lives, and it is is a huge focus for businesses next year. Brands will either build on their successes or learn  from their mistakes by integrating technology-driven solutions in order to build  personalized and lasting relationships with their customers.

Have you really asked yourself "What do my customers need?" and  "Am listening to them?" ? Well, this is where you should start in 2022,  given that 73% of them will leave a  brand if they don't get a satisfying experience across all touchpoints. 

In this article, we are going to analyze the trends that will have a significant impact on your customers experience in 2022 and that will help you distinguish yourself from the rest. 

1) Automated customer service? How does it work?

The quality of service that customers receive from companies is a key feature of the experience. Contact centers play a big role when it comes to this aspect of the relationship – if they spend a significant amount of time  waiting on the phone ,or via chat, or "arguing" with a bot that doesn't know how to help, they are unlikely to rate their experiences positively.

Businesses are now investing  on the ability to improve communication with online users by integrating advanced artificial intelligence – customer service chatbots based on  natural language processing are an example of how they are trying to alleviate these issues. This should mean that chatbots continuously learn how to respond to customers questions.

An interesting example of a successful project based on chatbots that continuously learn and generate knowledge base was developed by Quixa, a fully digital insurance company, with Vivocha and Digitiamo. The chatbot is based on a type of artificial intelligence that allows it to memorize and classify the most frequent questions asked by online users and associated them with the answers given by human agents. This way agents aren't occupied with low value activities, that can be easily handled by a bot, while they focus on more complex tasks requiring their expertise. This project was also awarded at the Italian Insurtech Summit for most effective best web service (click here to find out more).

2) Elevate your CX with video chats!

Online and phygital experiences are now the new normal,  physical stores and e-commerce in particular are merging into a unified experience for customers, and that's why video chat can help you enhance sales —whether the purchase happens online or in store.  If in the retail world video chats are playing a huge role, in terms of cx and sales (find out more),it is also increasingly popular in sectors such as banking and insurance. Remote advisory sessions are in fact one of the most powerful services lunched this year, they allow to reduce distance between advisors and customers and increase sales rate.

A report from Insider Intelligence, on customer experience trends underlines that: remote video sessions are helping brands find innovative ways to personalize the experience of their clients and prospects, strengthen their relationship and improve sales from a distance. Investing in these technologies will go from a nice-to-have to need-to-have in the next few years.

We recently published a research with 5 successful projects lunched by Sisal, Infocert, Banca Intesa Sanpaolo and Bmw with video chat at the center! Click here to find out more about the projects and the key benefits for those brands and their customer base.

3) Artificial intelligence for agent support...

AI is strictly connected to many of the topics we are talking about; AI collects and analyzes data to finds trends within it and provide useful insights, but also help handle interactions volume. 

AI has brought multiple, behind-the-scene benefits to call centers. For example, saving time for algorithm coding to manage routing system; with AI-based applications, businesses can now route conversations to the “most qualified” agent without keeping the client in wait.

Moreover, the introduction of AI into conversations has revolutionized the agent's efficiency: AI and ChatBots assimilate information to create patterns that agent can be managed easily. For example, if the agent receives a complain he can easily choose from multiple answer options.
Finally, with AI, IVR systems pull up relevant information and historical data from Customer’s history, enabling agents to deliver personalized experiences.

4) Listen to what you customers have to say! 

When discussing with your team how to increase customer loyalty and sales do you ever focus on what your customers tell you? On the feedbacks that they frequently give you?

Customers are more than data, but recent experiences have left them feeling like just another number. Clients are re-evaluating the relationships that they have with brands and spending their money where they feel more taken into consideration.

Over 60% of consumers expressed that businesses need to care more about them - and most importantly, that they would buy more as a result. Companies that show they really care about their customers will come out stronger in 2022 - and businesses that don’t  personalize and differentiate their approach, based on their customers needs, will struggle building loyalty moving forward.

Voice of the customer can be the key for your success!  By listening to your customers, you’ll strengthen your chances of getting the attention of the market. Don’t let your competitors decide what your product should be but instead, let your customers do the speaking. Make decisions based on customer suggestions and opinions. Align your products and services with what your customers need and you will benefit from it.

5) Always keep social media in mind!

An effective social media presence is a must have today but what does it involve? It's not just about engaging content, customers want a place they can go to have and give quick feedback, learn about their favorite businesses but also have a relationship with them and receive support if they need it.

An effective and well planned social customer care is one of the most important cx trends for 2022! It starts before a customer reaches out to you about a product or service. This means you not only respond to complaints but you also reward compliments.

In order to improve user experience on social media, improve  loyalty and increase your customers life time value...here are the key elements that have to be the core of your social customer care:

• Self-service help center (they want to be independent)
• Educate them about your product via social content (videos are very successful)
• Engage with them at the right time (proactive rules can help define when to pop up on their page)
• Integrate chatbots to always have the right answer at the right time
• Offer a personalized experience

In conclusion, always keep your customers experience, needs and expectations center stage because they aren't only clients but your strongest and most reliable ambassadors online and offline!

Book a demo or contact us for any further information about how Vivocha can help you optimize you cx and create a seamless omnichannel customer experience!