New Research Shows How Social Media, Mobile, and Advanced Self-Service Help Shape the Customer Experience

The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) has released its 2013 research report, Extreme Engagement in the Multichannel Contact Center: Leveraging the Emerging Channels Research Report and Best Practices Guide. The study results were collected, compiled and analyzed from a 2013 second quarter poll with over 300 respondents – a mixture of call center executives, directors and managers. Their input painted a compelling picture of how channels such as social media, mobile, and advanced self-service help shape and improve the customer experience, first contact resolution, and customer engagement.  

Key findings from the research study include:

-- Only 25% of companies feel their customers are extremely engaged in their brand

-- 90% of customers find the features of social customer service extremely useful or somewhat useful

-- 93% of customers would be MORE satisfied with customer service if they were offered their channel choice

-- Self-service is said to increase deflection rate or lower volume to other channels by 57% of study participants

-- Agents use social media personally, but don't feel comfortable doing so in the contact center

-- 72% consider Mobile a necessary channel; although only 39% of companies support it as a channel.

More information on CRM and social media can be found at www.CRMindustry.com