RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The e-commerce landscape is changing. Today, mobile commerce accounts for nearly one-third (1/3) of all U.S. transactions, creating a demand for enterprises to evolve and accommodate new customer behavior and expectations. Contact Solutions surveyed 1,004 consumers on their current and preferred means of engagement, and found that 90% of consumers would be more likely to stick with a company that offered an excellent experience throughout the customer journey that begins with customer acquisition, continues through product and service delivery, and extends into post-sale customer care.
Research in Contact Solutions latest white paper, “The Digital Disconnect” shows that while consumers continue to engage via multiple channels, enterprises don’t necessarily deliver the best experience in the channels consumers prefer. For example, 56% of online shoppers expect a phone call to provide the best experience for getting assistance, but fewer than 30% of them actually prefer to start there.
An overwhelming 75% of consumers said that they would rather use mobile customer care inside an app because it reduces time and hassle, but over 95% of mobile apps force the user to exit the app to get live assistance via phone, chat, messaging, or email. Other key findings include:
- Mobile commerce isn’t just enabling new behaviors, it is changing preferences and accelerating digital transformation
- 53% of online shoppers most often start with email to get assistance, but less than half of them actually prefer to do so - and more than half of them expect it to result in the worst experience of any channel
- Online shoppers think social media is twelve times more likely to deliver the worst experience than the best experience for getting assistance
- Few online shoppers today actually start on a mobile when they request assistance, but nine times as many say they would prefer to do so
- 53% of customers would spend more money with a brand if they could switch channels or devices to continue a conversation without starting over and repeating their information
The new data reveal an opportunity for enterprises to shift traffic from higher cost channels, like phone and email, to lower cost channels like mobile, social, web chat, or more robustly-featured messaging channels which customers increasingly prefer. It is a rare opportunity to cut costs while simultaneously improving customer experience, engagement, and loyalty.
“This new research paints a picture of the growing disconnect between the way digital consumers want to engage and how enterprises are investing to improve engagement,” said Mike Costello, General Manager of Digital Experience, Contact Solutions. “The findings in this whitepaper demonstrate the importance of a positive engagement experience and how it correlates with customer loyalty. The best way for retailers to bridge the gap is to invest in digital channels to create engagement experiences that are more convenient and better aligned with consumer preferences.”
Download the full Digital Disconnect white paper here.
About Contact Solutions
At Contact Solutions, we believe customer engagement should be effortless for the customer and sustainable for the enterprise. Our cloud-based, My:Time 3.0 solution allows users to start a digital interaction on one channel, then continue the interaction seamlessly on another device without the hassle of losing information and being timed out of a session. My:Time 3.0 manages conversations, conversation history, and account personalization, reducing effort in self-service and agent-assisted experiences. Learn more at: http://www.mytimedigital.com
