BOSTON, Sept. 14, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new study from BoldChat by LogMeIn (Nasdaq:LOGM) and Ovum reveals that customer experience has worsened over the last two years despite investments in new engagement channels.  The report, which surveyed hundreds of contact center managers and consumers globally, found that the consumers surveyed believe it takes 6 different interactions to resolve an issue while the surveyed contact center managers believe it takes only 1-2 touchpoints.  This disconnect can be largely due to the fact that 72% of consumers surveyed search for information online before contacting an agent but the majority of contact center managers surveyed (52%) do not track digital behavior.  The increased disappointment with customer experience is threatening customer loyalty, sustainability and revenue growth as 82% reported that they will stop doing business with a company following a bad experience.

The report also reveals that while 86% of consumers reported using 5+ channels for support, 43% of consumers noted that they believe access to agents has worsened over the last two years with 50% citing frustration with automated response systems.  While 68% of participating consumers still believe that phone calls provide the most success for resolution, 78% would choose a channel other than voice if they knew they could get a resolution on the first attempt. This makes sense, as 60% of consumers reported wanting organizations to improve access to web support channels including social media, communities and live chat.

“The disparity between the perception of contact centers and the reality of consumers when it comes to customer experience is worrisome as every interaction is proving to be critical to customer retention,” said Ken Landoline, Principal Analyst, Customer Engagement at Ovum.  “Because customers will stop doing business with a company following a bad experience, it is critical that brands identify friction points in the customer journey and offer their reps the tools and technology to help improve the overall customer experience from pre-purchase through post-purchase support.”

Additionally, the report provides insights into how consumers prefer to engage with brands including:

• Increased adoption of live chat: The use of live chat has increased from 33% in 2014¹ to 44% today.  Among the consumers interviewed, live chat ranked as the 3^rd most popular way to resolve an issue and was viewed as the fastest way to get a response. 
• Mobile dominates the customer experience: Today, more consumers call from the smartphone (58%) than a landline. And they are using their mobile device for more than calls.  83% of participating consumers reported using mobile applications for customer support and 64% reported using mobile websites, up from 64% and 57%, respectively, since 2014¹.
• Consumers are open to new ways of support: 35% of participating consumers currently use IoT-connected products, or are willing to, if it results in better customer service.

“Today’s always-connected customer expects immediate access to information and fast, efficient and frictionless service,” said David Campbell, Vice President, Customer Engagement & Support Solutions, at LogMeIn.  “Most contact centers struggle to meet these expectations because they are limited by disjointed, legacy systems.  We see many forward-thinking businesses overcome these challenges by prioritizing investments in solutions that unify their engagement strategies across traditional and digital channels.”

Methodology

This paper was written by Ovum in collaboration with BoldChat by LogMeIn. The research and analysis is based on original, independent research by Ovum. In April and May 2016, Ovum carried out a survey of 300 contact center managers and 400 customers across North America, Europe and Australia and New Zealand.

Additional Resources

• Full Study: Get It Right: Deliver the Omni-Channel Support Customers Want
• Infographic
• Blog: Delivering the Omni-channel Support Customers Want
• BoldChat Website
• Upcoming Webinar with Ovum

About LogMeIn, Inc.

LogMeIn, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOGM) simplifies how people connect to each other and the world around them. With millions of users worldwide, our cloud-based solutions make it possible for people and companies to connect and engage with their workplace, colleagues, customers and products anywhere, anytime. LogMeIn is headquartered in Boston with offices in Bangalore, Budapest, Dublin, London, San Francisco and Sydney.

LogMeIn and BoldChat are trademarks of LogMeIn in the U.S. and other countries.

¹ Ovum Research Where Contact Centers Are Missing the Mark (2015)