Friday, July 27, 2012
People are becoming more comfortable engaging one another online than in person. The 2012 Life on Demand Study by Performics found that social norms are shifting to be more technology driven.
Customer service centers that utilize social media and online channels to interact with consumers are likely to see strong improvements in service. Forty percent of survey respondents said they prefered to interact with people online rather than in person. Social media strategies designed to continually engage customers could generate greater returns for the company.
"These new Participants are comfortable increasingly replacing real-time communications with social media interactions," said Daina Middleton, Global CEO of Performics. "In this new social normal - one where people prefer online communication and maintain high expectations about two-way relationships - brands must utilize social channels to build exceptional, interactive digital experiences."
More contact centers are changing their operations to focus on digital communication. Technology has enabled customer service representatives to fully engage the client through text, email and social websites simultaneously. These cross-channel communications are likely to continue to play a role in branding, as more consumers rely on social media to stay connected to friends, family and coworkers.
