CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Businesses risk losing customers due to inconsistencies in the efficiency and quality of service across channels, according to new research by Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), the software company that crushes business complexity. The global study, conducted by research firm Savanta, recently surveyed 12,700 business leaders, agents, and customers to understand how the pandemic is impacting the current and future states of customer service. Businesses are making progress by adding more digital service channels to keep up with customer demands; however, this progress often comes at the expense of service quality by creating more inconsistencies and increasing customer frustration.
For many businesses, the pandemic created extraordinary challenges that exacerbated longstanding customer frustrations, such as having to repeat the same information to multiple agents and being passed to different departments to resolve a single issue. Bad service can be so irritating that nearly 27% of consumers surveyed felt it had ruined their day and even caused one in 10 to cry or nearly cry. But their most consequential reaction is often expressed through their wallets: 77% of customers said they would take their business elsewhere if they received poor service. The pressure is on executives to address these service issues before they do any further damage to their businesses, many of which are still in pandemic recovery mode.
In some ways, businesses are already responding. Compared to a similar study in 2019, the number of businesses providing some form of omnichannel service today has increased from 55% to 68% - a 24% increase. But even as organizations invest in or explore new technologies to enhance service, 80% admit the quality of service varies across the channels they support.
The survey identified three areas that will be a priority as organizations continue to strive for optimal customer service:
The impact of the pandemic has long-lasting implications for customer service, both today and in the future. As businesses adjust, having the right solutions in place will help provide the level of service customers have come to expect.
To download the full report, "Resolution Revolution," visit http://www.pega.com/resolution-revolution.
Quotes & Commentary:"The pandemic served as an accelerator for many organizations to fast-forward their customer service strategy deeper into digital," said Jeff Nicholson, global leader, CRM Strategy, Pegasystems. "Today's challenge, however, is that many traditional approaches still lack the journey-centric technology needed to achieve fast resolution via a customer's preferred point of contact. Just being present on a range of channels is no longer enough. The next great opportunity is to up-level the quality of service on all channels so they can consistently resolve the same critical customer issues."
Supporting Resources:
Notes to EditorsThe survey canvased 12,700 individuals, including business leaders (~2000 respondents), employees (~3600 respondents), and customers (~7200 respondents) within the healthcare, government, financial services, manufacturing, telecoms, transportation/logistics, travel/hospitality, insurance, and utilities industries. They represent companies that operate in the Asian-Pacific region, Europe, and the Americas.
About Pega Pega delivers innovative software that crushes business complexity. From maximizing customer lifetime value to streamlining service to boosting efficiency, we help the world's leading brands solve problems fast and transform for tomorrow. Pega clients make better decisions and get work done with real-time AI and intelligent automation. And, since 1983, we've built our scalable architecture and low-code platform to stay ahead of rapid change. Our solutions save people time, so our clients' employees and customers can get back to what matters most.For more information on Pegasystems (NASDAQ:PEGA), visit www.pega.com.
Press Contact:Ilena RyanPegasystemsIlena.ryan@pega.com
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-research-uncovers-customer-service-inflection-point-sparked-by-pandemic-challenges-301294329.html
SOURCE Pegasystems Inc.