The most frustrating aspect of customer service is dealing with service representatives who are not adequately prepared to resolve the issue at hand, a report said.

While 95 percent of consumers believe that there is a sufficient variety of channels for reaching out to customer service support, their frustration stems from how those channels are managed and connected, according to a recent NICE Systems study of more than 2,000 US adults, conducted online on their behalf by Harris Poll.

"Dissatisfaction arises when organizations cannot deliver a consistent, effortless, and personalized journey across all channels and touch points," said Miki Migdal, president of the NICE Enterprise Product Group, a leader in customer interaction management.

Key findings:

•    30 per cent of consumers attribute customer service woes to the agents not being prepared or lack of skills

•    16 per cent are frustrated when the customer service provider does not know their history or preferences

•    26 per cent are frustrated that it takes too much time and effort to get their issues resolved
Consumers today continuous and consistent service, immediate issue resolution, and service that is tailored to their own specific needs. They also seek an experience that requires minimal effort from them.

"There are significant opportunities for companies that manage the customer journey to create the perfect experience. Not only does a great experience drive greater customer satisfaction, it helps strengthen their brand,” Migdal said.

“It allows companies to optimize customer engagement for the journeys and channels that align with their business priorities and to save costs by handling interactions more efficiently. NICE's Customer Engagement Analytics solutions embody the vision that organizations can be ready for every journey and exceed customer expectations,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service