Nearly three out of every four online consumers expects to be able to access assistance within five minutes, and nearly half will take their business elsewhere unless this help is forthcoming within the expected timeframe -- according to the Connecting with Customers Report, which was commissioned by LivePerson.
The Connecting with Customers Report surveyed over 5,700 online consumers from the U.K., U.S., Australia, France, Germany, and Italy to identify how changes in consumer behavior can lead to a gap between the expectation of online service levels and the reality of what companies are able to deliver.
Here are some key takeaways from the report:
Speed of abandonment: 71% expect to be able to access help when purchasing online within five minutes, while 31% expect this help to be immediate.
Customer service expectations: When asked what makes a great customer service experience, 82% believe that having their issue resolved quickly is most important -- with German users (90%) placing the most emphasis on this point. What’s more, 56% believe that resolving the issue in a single interaction makes for great service -- the highest percentage (66%) here coming from the U.S.
Help seeking behaviors: Globally, 83% of online users admit that they need some form of support during their online journey. The U.K. was the least likely to seek out help (13%), while Italy was the most likely (43%).
Chat on demand: Nearly 60% of global users would like to have more choice in how they contact online brands, with 93% seeing real time help being of use in at least one online shopping scenario. More than half indicated that they were more likely to purchase from a website if they could get answers via Live Chat, with particular demand in Italy (60%), the U.S. (56%), and Australia (52%).
As online shoppers become more adept with their use of digital channels, their expectations are changing, the report says. They are looking for personalized online experiences, yet crave speed and simplicity. The research also identifies varying levels of sophistication, highlighting three different types of online shoppers, each of which requires differing levels of support during their online purchase journey.
Dependent shoppers have limited experience in online shopping, who often need help and support. Semi-dependent shoppers are fairly experienced when it comes to shopping online, but sometimes need help and support from others. Experienced shoppers are experienced online shoppers who rarely need support from others.
The respective percentages for these types of shoppers are as follows: 56% semi-dependent; 28% dependent; and 16% experienced.
Traditionally, call centers and email have been the main customer service methods for online shoppers. Now customers want more choice and are driven by a need for speed and simplicity.
This research also points to Live Chat as meeting these needs, and emerging as a preferred engagement channel, generating higher levels of customer satisfaction, an increased likelihood to purchase from a website, more customer loyalty and enhanced trust in a brand.
The report offers some advice regarding these types of shoppers:
Reassess any gaps between the in-store and online customer experience environments, particularly in the area of online customer service
It is clear that while the Internet may have begun life as a self-service environment, it has evolved, along with customer expectations, into a far more interactive space where relationships between brands and consumers can be strengthened with appropriate engagement strategies.
Companies with both online and physical channels need to focus on closing the gap between in-store and online environments, embracing channel blur and adopting strategies to reduce website abandonment and increase website stickiness. Websites, mobile platforms, and stores should not be run as individual entities but as interacting channels to support and benefit each other.
Make online customer experience a priority
More and more, online consumers are impatient when trying to purchase online. Many expect answers to their problems instantly, similar to the type of help they would get in-store, suggesting that email and phone customer services alone are not sufficient. Not only will online shoppers leave a website if they do not receive the right customer experience, they may turn to a competitor to meet their needs instead. The key is to engage customers throughout their online journey, both pre- and post-purchase.
Offer a variety of online customer support channels (e.g., live chat, click-to-call, social media, email, etc.)
One area where this is particularly important is in the provision of help and support both pre- and post-purchase to online customers. Offering a choice of support methods, focusing on speed of response and providing an easy resolution to issues are vital for online brands wanting to ensure that their customers feel valued and listened to, whilst increasing their spend and their loyalty.