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Study finds UK businesses failing to embrace digital for consumer interaction

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By John Glenday, Reporter

July 6, 2012 | 2 min read

A new study conducted by IBM and Forrester has found that UK businesses are failing to embrace digital mediums for consumer interaction.

Specifically they found that 83% of firms are still reliant on call centres for dealing with enquiries despite consumer’s preference for online channels.

Only 33% of businesses offer online live help putting the majority well behind the multi-channel curve.

Other key findings of the report found similar gaps elsewhere, including the fact that 43% of firms offer mobile or tablet optimised apps and just 39% offer information, purchase or customer service focused apps.

Similarly, a mere 30% track online behaviours to inform customer service and the same proportion d don't have any immediate plans to use social media platforms to enable consumers to research company information before buying products.

James Lovell, European Smarter Commerce Consultant at IBM, comments, "Many companies are still using contact centres as their primary means of communicating in real time with their customers, despite growing frustration with protracted hold times, complicated call menus and unhelpful staff. Consumers clearly want to use online channels to not only research products, but also interact with and find out more information about a company. Without this ease of access, consumers could quickly move on to more socially savvy competitors.

"Embracing digital channels can also be more cost efficient for businesses. Setting up online help forums and giving customers more ways to self-service online can save on contact centre costs and allow for more flexible customer service. This transition to an online customer service model will require greater collaboration across the business, and in particular much closer integration between the company's marketing and IT departments."

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