No matter what their nationality or age, consumers place a high importance on quality customer care and more than half are prepared to pay more for better customer care from their preferred brands, according to new research from Xerox.
In their ‘State of Customer Service 2015’ report, for which 6,000 consumers in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and the Netherlands were surveyed, Xerox reveals that more than half are prepared to pay more for better quality customer care. Specifically, more than 7 in 10 of those age 71 and over and 40% of Generation Z (16-20) were prepared to pay more.
Despite new digital alternatives for customer care, the call center is still the channel of choice for 25% of consumers and dominant in the United States (32%) and France (27%). But with two fifths (42%) saying that there will be no call centers by 2025, it is time now to think about how it must evolve, says the report.
When it comes to automation, such as virtual assistants, more than half (56%) said there were comfortable with such digital alternatives while 29% ruled out this option and 15% weren’t yet sure. Unsurprisingly, younger consumers were more comfortable with digital alternatives with 72% of Generation Z open to artificial intelligence compared to just 36% of those over the age of 71.
“We all know that customer satisfaction is a strong indicator of loyalty,” said Nancy Collins, group president of Xerox’s High-Tech Communications and Media group. “Whether it’s more expertise from customer care agents, shorter wait times or a seamless omnichannel experience, there is a clear opportunity for brands to better use technology to build trust and treat every consumer as an individual.”