Canadians want a seamless multi-channel
experience, which companies can provide using predictive,
prescriptive cross-channel analytics
TORONTO, May 4, 2016 /CNW/ - Canadian companies need to
invest in analytical tools and expertise to generate the proactive
and predictive insights for a more personalized experience for
customers, who are quietly slipping away with little ability to win
them back, according to a new report from Accenture Strategy.
Nearly half (49 percent) of Canadian consumers have switched
providers in the past year due to poor customer service – most
commonly from retailers, cable and satellite television service
companies, phone companies and banks, according to Accenture's
eleventh annual Global Consumer Pulse Research. The study
gauges the experiences and attitudes of 24,489 consumers around the
world about marketing, sales and customer services, with 1,334
respondents from Canada.
Eighty percent of Canadian respondents who switched said they
could have been retained before switching providers, in line with
the survey's global findings. Now that they've switched, there's
very little chance they will return, with 68 percent saying they
will not return once they have left, compared to 58 percent
globally, the survey shows. Further, only 17 percent of Canadian
consumers posted negative comments online after a bad customer
service experience, 11 percent less than the global average (28
percent).
"Canadians are known to be 'silent switchers', which means they
will just leave with no opportunity for the provider to 'make it
right', or to understand and minimize churn," said Berkeley
Warburton, Managing Director, Advanced Customer Strategy, Accenture
Strategy. "Fortunately, providers now have access to tools that
proactively create a positive customer experience through seamless
interactions across all channels, using predictive, prescriptive
and cross-channel analytics that will figure out what Canadian
customers want – before it's too late."
The importance of a human connection in customer
services
Analytics is only part of the solution for providers trying to
retain business, because Canadian customers said they still want to
maintain a human interaction, with 85 percent preferring to deal
with a live person, higher than the average of 73 percent globally.
This additional cost can pay off for providers, with more than half
(53 percent) of Canadian respondents willing to be sold new or
upgraded products when receiving a face-to-face service compared to
online, compared to 45 percent globally.
Canadian consumers place a higher-than-average value on physical
or in-store experiences, with 71 percent agreeing that in-store
service is the best channel for getting a tailored experience,
compared to 56 percent globally. Forty percent are willing to pay a
higher price for goods and services if it ensures a better level of
service, compared to 49 percent of global respondents.
"Canadian companies must not overplay their digital hand -- they
should look to balance digital with human interaction so they don't
lose their customer base," said Ms. Warburton. "These personalized
interactions are what the customer values and remembers, and they
make a difference when it comes to building and maintaining a
Canadian customer's loyalty and trust."
Improving customer experience
The Accenture Strategy report reveals that there is huge room
for improvement in the delivery of today's customer services.
Most (80 percent) Canadian consumers say that it is
frustrating dealing with a company that does not make it easy to do
business with them, compared to 73 percent of global respondents.
Another 77 percent expect customer service to be easier and more
convenient to obtain, versus 69 percent globally, and 65 percent
expect it to be faster, versus 72 percent globally. Meanwhile, 60
percent report that if companies could provide customers with
better live or in-person customer service, it would have impacted
their decision to switch providers, higher that the global average
of 52 percent.
How leaders of customer services succeed
Organizations that want to rebalance their digital and traditional
customer service channels should look to:
- Put the human and physical elements back into customer
services: Rethink your investment strategy. The focus
should be on delivering satisfying, memorable customer experiences
– not methods of interaction. Ensure your channel management
approach delivers integrated experiences.
- Make it easy for customers to switch channels to get the
experiences they want: Build customer service channels
that enable consumers to fluidly move from digital to human
interaction to get the outcomes they desire.
- Root out revenue toxicity: Define and address the
most toxic customer experiences across all channels; experiences
like data overage charges from telecommunication providers where
customers receive no advanced warning. These experiences increase
revenue in the short-term but greatly contribute to Canadians
"silently switching", impacting long-term profitability. By
focusing on transparent and positive experiences companies can
create more sustainable growth through customer loyalty.
- Guarantee personal data security: 92 percent of
consumers say it is extremely important that companies protect the
privacy of their personal information. By not selling or sharing
customer data with other companies, and guaranteeing that
safeguards are in place to protect it, consumers will be more
willing to hand over personal information which can be leveraged to
deliver better experiences.
About the research
Accenture Strategy's Global
Consumer Pulse Research is an annual online research project that
assess customer attitudes towards marketing, sales and customer
service practices and customers' behaviors in response to
companies' practices. The 2015 survey includes online responses
from 24,489 consumers in 33 countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden, UAE, Thailand, South
Korea, Singapore,
Norway, Mexico, Malaysia, Ireland, South
Africa, Russia,
Argentina, Turkey, Poland, Philippines, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech
Republic, India,
Indonesia, France, Germany, Japan, China,
Brazil, Spain, Canada, Australia, Italy, United
Kingdom and the United
States. Respondents were asked to evaluate their experiences
of up to four industries out of 11 industry sectors: retail banking
and financial services, wireless services providers, consumer goods
retailers, gas and electric utility providers, consumer electronics
manufacturers, property and casualty insurance providers, fixed
service providers (excluding cable and satellite), healthcare
providers, hotels and lodging, life insurance, and cable and
satellite service providers. The survey was fielded in August and
September 2015.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global
professional services company, providing a broad range of services
and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and
operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills
across more than 40 industries and all business functions –
underpinned by the world's largest delivery network – Accenture
works at the intersection of business and technology to help
clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for
their stakeholders. With approximately 373,000 people serving
clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to
improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at
www.accenture.com.
Accenture Strategy operates at the intersection of business and
technology. We bring together our capabilities in business,
technology, operations and function strategy to help our clients
envision and execute industry-specific strategies that support
enterprise wide transformation. Our focus on issues related to
digital disruption, competitiveness, global operating models,
talent and leadership help drive both efficiencies and growth. For
more information, follow @AccentureStrat or visit
www.accenture.com/strategy.
SOURCE Accenture