In Spanish, we are not exactly lacking in expressions that allude to the importance of following a path. From Antonio Machado's "walker, there is no path, the path is made by walking" to more complex and spiritual formulations such as that of Saint Augustine: "It is better to limp along the path than to stride ahead off it. For whoever limps along the path, even if they advance little, is getting closer to the goal, while whoever goes off it, the more they run, the further they stray." However, in business dynamics, the mistake of prioritizing the achievement of a goal over the means that would lead to its achievement persists, which is why it is common to fall into errors between one's own perception and the perception of others. If that in itself is already a burden on the customer experience, there is little to add if this gap occurs precisely in the measurement of the customer experience. It is a "gap squared."
That is what recent research on the subject has found, carried out by software provider NICE In Contact, based on estimates made by businesses and customers regarding the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in support and contact centers. The data on this subject could not be more striking, in terms of the NPS (Net Promoter Score) given by both parties:
- For companies, the use of chatbots in customer relations deserves an NPS score of 25, while for customers it stands at -8. That's a huge difference of 33 points.
- For companies, the use of email would result in an NPS score of 19, something that customers are not so sure about, as they give it a score of -9. Another significant difference, in this case of 28 points.
- As for plain text virtual assistants, the difference is 27 points, as while companies imagine an NPS of 25 points, customers give an NPS of -2 points.
Given this situation, it is only "normal" that companies tend to agree more than customers on their ability to solve the problems raised by the latter. When asked about this, companies consider their management to be successful by 15 percentage points more than the consumers' assessment. Symptoms of arrogance? No, given that only 24% of companies acknowledge offering a full omnichannel experience, despite the fact that the vast majority (93%) of customers demand this in order to give a high NPS. Rather, it is an excess of overvaluation and an excess of confidence in automation derived from the application of technology.
In the increasingly close relationship between AI and customer experience, you cannot and should not try to take giant leaps off the beaten track. You have to understand every step you take, even if you are limping. Because, in addition, leading companies are gaining more and more advantage precisely because of their omnichannel approach. Another recent survey by Zendesk reveals that fast-growing companies are more likely to adopt an omnichannel approach, offering a seamless and connected customer experience to communicate with customers across multiple channels.
More than two-thirds of CX leaders in small and medium-sized businesses say they evaluate success based on providing multiple ways to contact customer service. However, once again, necessity does not always make a virtue. According to this study of more than 9,000 companies, only 7 out of 20 (35%) consider themselves truly omnichannel. Conclusion: many companies are not delivering the customer experience they know is important.
This is a mistake that can prove costly, because the mindset that must always prevail is that of being in the minds of customers. Customers do not think about the size of a company when they interact with its support centers. They simply expect to be able to reach the channel of their choice and resolve their issues efficiently. And to achieve this, there is only one possible choice: to walk the path, because the path is made by walking.
Photo byFarrel NobelonUnsplash
