A customer experience survey carried out by BPO provider, Merchants, found that the number of consumers who requested helpful call centre agents and praised them to their managers in 2021 increased compared to 2020.
39% of respondents said they had praised an agent to a manager in 2021 – up from 34% in 2020. A further 53% had requested a helpful agent – a 6% increase. Interestingly, those aged between 18 and 24 were most likely to request a helpful agent when making contact with a call centre. Although those aged 50+ were far less likely to request a helpful agent, they were most inclined to praise a helpful agent to their manager.
In terms of negative call centre experiences, 54% of consumers admitted to putting the phone down on an agent in 2021 – which was a decrease from 62% in 2020. “Our survey showed higher levels of empathy for service providers and their call centre staff, which might account for the decrease here,” says Mat Conn, group chief revenue officer for Merchants. Despite this, there was a 4% increase in the number of consumers asking to speak to the call centre manager – at 38%. Those aged between 35 and 49 were most likely to do this.
Call wait time has remained the number one frustration for South African consumers. Interestingly, being stuck in a loop and unable to talk to an agent has risen to third place. “Within the last year, many businesses have invested in digital technology around their customer service touchpoints, such as chatbots and augmented intelligence,” says Conn. “However, our research shows that the human touch continues to be of critical importance to customers – especially those looking to have problems solved.” Problem solving remained the most important trait for an agent to have, according to respondents, followed by knowledge of their products and services and a sense of urgency.
“Despite the rise in empathy and positive experiences, there has never been a more important time for businesses to invest in their customer experience,” says Conn. “Whether it is finding the right partner, prioritising skills development or implementing scalable solutions to fit their business – customer experience needs to be any business’ top priority if they are to remain relevant in 2022 and beyond.”
