24/7 customer service in a 24/7 connected world
When your customers need information, it must be up-to-date and easily accessible via their chosen channel - which is likely to change depending on where they are, how stressed they are, and how much time they have.
It's not up to you which contact channels you want to provide your customers, it should be based on what they need
They may require access to the internet to retrieve a booking confirmation email or ticket, for example, while SMS or WhatsApp will be more appropriate for last-minute flight status updates.
Proactivity is key to delivering any updates without making your passengers hunt for it to reduce stress and minimise complaints.
What would you guess is the most popular customer support channel? Call centre analysis by Salesforce shows email is still the most desired channel, followed by phone and in-person support.
Surprisingly, online chat and mobile apps come fourth and fifth place – but airlines need to ensure customers still have access to these channels as they’re becoming more popular all the time. In fact, WhatsApp is now the most popular messaging app in the world, with 2 billion active users across 180 countries.
You can find out more about WhatsApp's role in a passenger communications strategy in our on-demand webinar.
Top channels preferred by customers looking for support
*Multiple responses allowed
Phone
Online chat
Source: CFI Group
By proactively giving customers everything they need to take their next steps, they are less likely to call the contact centre or seek support at the airport. This offers considerate cost savings as it frees up contact centre agents and airport staff to deal with complex tasks that can only be handled by a human.
This is where finding the optimal combination of human plus technology comes into play. Your staff are perfectly positioned to manage edge cases and complex scenarios that require human interaction.
While 67% of people want to use self-serve technology and chatbots, they’re not right for everyone and don’t work in every situation.
Automation technology is there to handle the same task again and again with speed and 100% consistency, thus preventing human error and unnecessary – costly – human resource. Your people on the other hand, can offer two things that technology cannot: empathy, and social skills.
of people use different devices during the same day
of people use smartphones while shopping in a physical store
of people use 3 or more channels for customer service
Source: Customer Think
of businesses think they are providing a good customer mobile experience, but 22% of consumers agree.
Source: Customer Think
