Customer service plays a vital role in the functionality of any business. Being able to effectively communicate with clients and deal with queries and issues is hugely important in retaining and growing a customer base. Over the last five years, due to the unforeseen circumstances that the COVID-19 pandemic caused, more companies are now reliant on bots and chat robots to communicate with customers.

Online chat and AI experts, Userlike, recently conducted a survey about what customers actually thought about chatbots and their interactions with such technology. The study found:

• 80 per cent of customers have engaged with a chatbot before.
• 60 per cent of customers would rather wait in a service queue to get help from a human than receive immediate help from a chatbot. 
• 60 per cent of customers said the chatbot was unable to solve an issue because they needed to speak to a person.

Also, according to an article in Forbes, 86 per cent of consumers prefer to interact with a human agent, while a further 71 per cent said they would be less likely to use a brand if it didn’t have human customer service representatives available. Just 30 per cent believe chatbots and virtual assistants make it easier to address customer service issues while only 29 per cent of consumers looking for a quick answer would choose chat over all other channels.

The value of speaking to a human

It is underestimated how important humans are to customer service. Customers want to be able to speak to another human over the phone and avoid the tireless task of explaining their issues to a robot which has been created with limitations. 

Humans are flexible, sympathetic and empathetic. They understand specialist requests and ideas that would otherwise be alien to a chatbot. No customer is the same and neither are the issues. The one-size-fits-all approach is considered old news. 

The retail industry is an example of an industry which has invested heavily in automated technology and would rather invest in technology than staffing call centres with humans. However, a Sitel Group study shows that 28 per cent of people would still prefer a phone call over other forms of communication and 38 per cent of those surveyed said they get the most frustrated by having to repeat the same concern to multiple people during a single customer service call.

This demonstrates that although investment is pushing technology onto customer service, the value of dealing with an effective, professional customer service team is still important to many clients.

clixifix’s® customer service approach

clixifix® values the human approach, picking up the phone and speaking to a customer or meeting them in person. This builds stronger, more fruitful relationships with customers and means any questions or queries are dealt with quicker and faster than with any chatbot.

clixifix® believes customers value a human on the other end of the phone rather than an automated voice or alternatively an email that may never see the light of day. Customer service is a core part of what makes clixifix® stand out. 

As clixifix® works in such a variable industry, having a chatbot as the first line of communication with clients isn’t feasible. Chatbots don’t have the capabilities and understanding to deliver the necessary information to a range of customers. 

A word from our CEO and co-founder, James Farrell

“We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service, we understand how important it is for a customer to be able to reach us with a quick phone call. Our team is experienced and knowledgeable, we will be able to assist in almost any problem over the phone. We also value the importance of engaging with customers face to face, having regular meetings will improve the relationship between customer and provider.”

Conclusion

To conclude, chatbots in principle can play a part in customer service, but the value of a human still outweighs technology, especially at clixifix®. Surveys which have been conducted demonstrate the need for human interaction especially in the housing industry. clixifix® has to deal with a variety of questions or issues that chatbots won’t be able to cope with. 

Technology is slowly being integrated into most facets of the functionality of a business, but the value of a human still stands strong.