With customer experience (CX) becoming a key differentiator for businesses, the role of the contact center is evolving rapidly. Emerging technologies and shifting consumer behaviors are reshaping how organizations provide customer support and engagement.
Here are six key trends shaping the future of contact centers:
1. Customers Prefer Self-Service Over Human Agents
According to Forrester, 79% of customers prefer self-service over speaking with an agent¹. Additionally, 75% of online customers expect support within five minutes², making human responses too slow for many inquiries.
To meet this demand, businesses need to invest in self-service technologies, such as chatbots and voice recognition tools, to handle routine queries efficiently.
2. Online Experiences Shape First Impressions
A 2017 Microsoft report found that 75% of global consumers use search engines for service-related questions before calling an agent, and 74% use self-service portals³.
Since customers begin their support journey online, businesses must:
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Provide extensive online resources.
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Offer intuitive self-service tools.
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Ensure that search engines surface relevant support content.
3. Mobile-First Customer Engagement
More customers are initiating support requests via mobile devices. The Microsoft study reports that 33% of respondents (rising to 43% among millennials) use mobile devices for customer service³.
To optimize CX across devices, businesses should:
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Ensure mobile-friendly support platforms.
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Invest in cloud-based technologies that enable seamless mobile access.
4. Human Agents Are Essential for Complex Queries
For complex interactions, customers still prefer phone calls, video, and email—in that order—according to Deloitte's Global Contact Center Survey⁴.
While AI and chatbots handle routine inquiries, complex issues should be escalated to human agents to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
5. Omni-Channel Engagement Is the Future
Customers engage with brands through multiple touchpoints. While voice remains the dominant channel, Deloitte predicts that its share of interactions will decline from 64% to 47% by 2019, while chat and messaging will grow from 6% to 16%⁴.
To meet evolving expectations, businesses must:
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Provide consistent experiences across phone, chat, email, and social media.
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Implement AI-driven omnichannel support to unify customer interactions.
6. Social Media Support Is Expanding
Social media is gaining prominence in customer service. Deloitte forecasts that social media-based interactions will increase from 4% to 9% by 2019⁴.
To adapt to this trend, brands must:
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Develop a dedicated social media support strategy.
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Use social listening tools to track and respond to complaints in real time.
A Quick Customer Service Benchmark
For businesses evaluating their service speed, here’s a general benchmark⁵:
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Email responses should be within 4 hours.
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Social media inquiries should be answered within 1 hour.
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Phone support wait times should not exceed 2 minutes.
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Live chat responses should be delivered in 30 seconds or less.
As contact centers evolve, self-service, AI-driven engagement, mobile optimization, and social media responsiveness are becoming key priorities. Businesses that embrace these trends will enhance CX, improve efficiency, and maintain a competitive edge.
References
[1] https://mindtouch.com/resources/trends-demanding-customer-self-service
[2] https://www.helppier.com/en/customer-service-trends-2018/
[3] https://info.microsoft.com/dynamics365-global-state-cust-service-en-gb.html
[5] https://www.astutesolutions.com/blog/articles/5-trends-in-consumer-demand-for-digital-self-service
