Contact Center Solutions Featured Article

Credit Card Customers Still Prefer the Phone for Initial Customer Service Interactions

February 06, 2014

Taking advantage of the different ways to connect with customers, credit card companies can engage with their cardholders via websites, email, mobile apps, SMS, social media and other resources.


But customers still like the old-fashioned phone call when it comes to dealing with their credit card providers, with 50 percent of customers beginning an interaction via a phone call, according to research from [24]7, a provider of customer experience solutions.

The number is surprising, given the vast number of self-service options that the credit card industry has instituted, particularly via website and mobile apps. While many customers do use these alternative methods, the survey indicates credit card providers should consider the phone channel solution that they offer to customers as the experience has the potential to impact customer loyalty and satisfaction.

“The expectations of today's connected consumer are changing the customer service industry dramatically,” said Dan Miller, senior analyst, Opus Research.  “In response to demands from consumers that are now mobile and social, the customer service experience that enterprises offer must adapt to how these consumers want to engage, which is on their own terms, using devices and talk-paths of their own choosing.“

The survey found that when interactions begin with a phone call, 30 percent make a second phone call and 25 percent of respondents move on to using a website as the next preferred channel of engagement with a credit card provider.

A phone call is the preferred first channel of interaction with a credit card provider. Source: [24]7

Customers often use multiple methods — with 82 percent of respondents use at least three channels when interacting with a credit card provider. Mobile is clearly a contributing factor as well, as 88 percent use at least two devices when engaging with a credit card providers' customer service.

“Firms of all sizes have had to gear up to engage with their customers and prospects in new ways that support mobility, web-based commerce and social networking,” Miller continued. “And all this is going on in the era of Big Data and analytics, meaning that the most successful companies are the ones that efficiently deploy technologies that quickly recognize each customer's intent in order to resolve issues quickly and effortlessly."

Survey data collection was performed by Harris Interactive Service Bureau on behalf of [24]7.




Edited by Cassandra Tucker



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