While it’s impossible to predict exactly what the new year will bring, some clear trends are emerging as we think about what customer and employee experience will look like in 2023.
As we’ve seen over the past couple of years, customers will expect interactions to be frictionless, personalized, 24/7, and faster than ever. What’s different about 2023 is that brands will face the unprecedented challenge of meeting these growing demands amid an ongoing war for talent and mounting cost pressures.
In 2023 it’s time for a more thoughtful and proactive approach to customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX).
Make messaging your go-to channel
Messaging delivers speed, efficiency and results other channels just can’t match when it comes to handling customer inquiries. It enables quicker and better customer experiences, allows associates to service multiple customers concurrently, reduces wait times, and drives more conversions – all while reducing costs.
Most consumers (72%) say they’re more likely to shop from a company that communicates with them about their products in real-time, with a real employee, via messaging, according to Avochado. Companies that don’t have a strong messaging strategy will lose out to those that do.
Help customers help themselves
Customers want to find the information they’re looking for – on their own terms, in their own time, and via their preferred channel. Along with traditional self-service solutions, augmented reality will become a bigger component of self-service options as consumers seek more immersive ways to interact with brands.
More than two-thirds of customers (69%) want to resolve as many issues as possible on their own, through self-service methods, according to Zendesk, so brands that invest in these types of tools should see great ROI.
Know what it takes to retain top talent
As the war for talent wages on, contact centers will need go to new lengths to attract a high-quality workforce. Flexible schedules, including remotely and hybrid options, will play an important role in landing top talent. So will competitive pay, benefits, and perks.
It’s much more cost effective to retain an existing employee than to recruit and train a new one. With a 58% turnover rate in contact centers, brands will need to create a work environment in 2023 that employees don’t want to leave.
Make associates + automation a powerful partnership
As more customer interactions being powered by a mix of people and machines, humans and automation must blend to deliver one cohesive experience. Artificial intelligence presents great opportunities for companies to improve customer experience and optimize employee training.
Most customer service associates (88%) believe AI will improve their work, according to Customer Contact Week, meaning your employees are likely craving more human-automation integration.
These are just a few of the trends we’re predicting. For more on what to expect in 2023, the insights driving these trends, and ways your brand can be ready, check out our strategy guide, “CX Trends 2023: 10 predictions shaping the evolution of customer and employee experience.”