Technology has advanced over the years, transforming how businesses engage, serve, and support their customers.
Customers expect quick responses and personalized services and are delighted with brands that meet these expectations.
As businesses strive to meet customers’ needs and preferences, they need to use technology to improve efficiency and quality in customer support.
This blog article will discuss customer service technology, emerging trends, and tools that you can use to foster exceptional customer experiences.
Customer service technology refers to the various tools and software used by businesses to provide prompt customer support.
These tools aim to improve communication, provide faster resolutions, and deliver better customer experiences across various touchpoints.
Businesses can use customer service technology solutions both internally and externally.
External knowledge base: A customer self-service portal for your product’s materials, such as user manuals, guides, and a help center.
Live chat: Real-time communication tool customers use to interact with agents on a website.
Chatbots: AI-powered tools that provide instant solutions to common questions on websites or applications.
Interactive voice response (IVR): An automated phone interaction system that helps customers call the right department to access information.
Ticketing system: Software that enhances customer support by organizing, prioritizing, routing, and tracking support tickets.
AI-powered automation: Customized prompts that streamline repetitive tasks to allow agents to focus on complex tasks.
Internal knowledge base: A private repository of information for knowledge sharing to improve agent productivity and ensure consistent services.
Technology has a significant role in enhancing customer experience through quick and streamlined support.
Here are some benefits of customer service technology to businesses.
Enhances agents’ efficiency: Customer service technology tools such as AI increase agents’ productivity by automating repetitive, non-complex tasks. These tools can summarize tickets, translate replies, and provide writing assistance to agents.
In the end, agents are able to minimize errors and do more in less time.
Gives you a 360 view of customers: Customer service technology consolidates customer data from multiple touchpoints, such as email, chat, social media, and survey responses, into a single platform.
Customer service teams can then track customer interactions, preferences, and history in real time, allowing for personalized support and a deeper understanding of customer needs and behaviors.
Ensure support is easily accessible: Utilizing several communication channels like email, social media, and chat increases customer access to your business anytime, anywhere, enabling 24/7 customer service.
In addition, customers with disabilities can access your business using customer support technology tools like speech-to-text and text-to-speech. This leads to inclusive customer service.
Allows multilingual support: Real time translation tools enable agents to provide support in multiple languages, breaking down language barriers and allowing penetration into the global market.
Minimizes costs: Customer service technology automates routine tasks, reducing the need for extensive human intervention. Investing in comprehensive customer service software ensures you handle all customer support operations in a single platform- eliminating the need for additional stand-alone tools as your business grows.
Additionally, data analytics tools allow businesses to identify common problems, improve processes, reduce repeat inquiries, and optimize staff allocation.
As businesses increasingly compete based on the experiences they deliver, those that adopt sophisticated customer service technology are the ones most likely to retain customers.
Let’s dive into some robust customer service technology examples you should embrace.
Artificial intelligence is the contextual idea that computers can be programmed to execute tasks that require normal human intelligence.
It streamlines customer service processes by automating workflows, helping agents deliver quick support and create memorable experiences for customers.
Example of AI customer service technology
BoldDesk is an AI-powered customer service software that helps you manage customer requests with minimal effort.
The in-built AI assist tools enable agents to assess customer inquiries and their sentiments, allowing for precise responses.
These tools also generate comprehensive, error-free replies that ensure customers consistently receive helpful support.
This increases efficiency and minimizes customer service burnout among your support agents.
Customer service software is a tool designed to help businesses manage, streamline, and enhance interactions with their customers.
It allows agents to analyze, track, and resolve customer requests using features such as ticketing systems, shared inboxes, workflow automation, contact management, and reporting.
Customer service software improves efficiency, ensures consistent support, and helps deliver better customer experiences.
Example of customer service software
BoldDesk provides an all-in-one customer service software that allows your agents to manage support tickets, automate tasks, and collaborate from a single, unified platform.
BoldDesk provides endless customization and integration options, allowing you to sync the tool with your everyday applications to optimize support processes.
Teams can easily analyze, prioritize, and route support queries to appropriate agents for quick resolution using a powerful ticketing system.
Additionally, the app tracks key KPIs to gauge the quality of customer service and allows managers to make data-driven decisions.
Live chat software allows customers to connect with support agents on a website or app, ask questions, and receive timely responses.
With live chat, customers can conveniently reach out to support without waiting on hold on phone calls or visiting the office.
Example of live chat technology
BoldDesk’s live chat software is a robust customer communication tool that allows customer-facing teams to deliver real time customer support on websites and apps.
BoldDesk’s live chat lets you track the website pages customers visit before initiating a chat, allowing you to provide contextual support.
Users can create and save live chat scripts to quickly respond to common questions. Complex chat inquiries can be effortlessly converted into tickets within the chat window for quick escalation.
Chat transcripts can be saved and sent via email, providing customers and agents with a record of the conversation.
Even during off-hours, your customers are not left hanging. BoldDesk’s offline support feature automatically sends email replies, letting customers know they’ve been heard, and their issues will be addressed promptly.
Modern consumers use various channels to seek support and engage with brands. They expect a consistent experience across all of them, even when transitioning from one channel to another.
Omnichannel customer support software enables agents to handle customer support requests from different channels, such as email, live chat, SMS, and customer portals, from one dashboard.
Example of omnichannel customer support
BoldDesk consolidates requests from various communication channels, such as email, live chat, and social media, in a secure omnichannel inbox, ensuring no ticket ever slips through the cracks.
It enhances support efficiency and helps support teams deliver a cohesive customer experience across channels.
Companies continuously collect and analyze data from multiple customer touchpoints- such as purchase history, chat logs, and feedback surveys, to gain deep insights into customer pain points, patterns, and preferences.
As expectations for quick and effective service grow, customer service analytics allow companies to:
Example of a customer service analytics tool
BoldDesk’s customer service suite has inbuilt reports and analytics features that empower businesses with actionable insights into their customer support operations.
The tool provides real-time reporting using key performance indicators (KPIs) such as SLA reports, customer satisfaction scores, and agent productivity.
With BoldDesk, companies can create a holistic view of each customer, anticipate their needs, improve service strategies, and achieve operational excellence.
Self-service tools are resources that empower customers and employees to access information and diagnose issues independently.
These tools provide information about your company policies, products, manuals, guides, documentation, and a help center.
Examples of self-service resources include:
Example of a self-service tool
BoldDesk’s knowledge base software simplifies self-service by helping businesses create, manage, and share documentation efficiently.
Its built-in generative AI features, seamless integrations with live chat and ticketing systems, and tools like tags and categories ensure effortless information creation and retrieval.
The knowledge base software provides a flexible content editor, allowing users to create content and embed multimedia files like videos, tables, and infographics.
BoldDesk also incorporates robust security features like roles, permissions, and single sign-on to protect sensitive information.
Additional features include article version control, audit logs, expiration settings, SEO tools, and automatic sitemap generation.
In today’s smartphone-driven service environment, many brands now prioritize mobile-first support through messaging platforms and dedicated mobile apps.
According to Statista, the number of smartphone users worldwide was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 to 2029 by 42.62%.
A mobile app for your business enriches your omnichannel support strategy and allows customer support agents to assist from any location.
Customers can also conveniently seek support, monitor their orders, or give feedback from the comfort of their devices.
Example of mobile app technology
BoldDesk’s mobile help desk app enables you to provide efficient on-the-go customer service.
The mobile application allows customer support agents to respond to and keep track of support tickets even when they are away from the office.
This customer service technology helps provide 24/7 support and allows for continuous team collaboration.
Just like live chat, chatbots allow you to have real time conversations with visitors on your websites and apps. The difference is, instead of a human agent, a bot engages with the customer and provides real-time responses to inquiries and questions.
Chatbots can be customized to respond to common customer service inquiries, allowing your team to handle complex issues.
Example of a chatbot technology
Ada is an AI agent that allows enterprises to provide prompt customer support across various channels.
The customer service technology allows you to automate and integrate your chatbot with a suite of software and applications for efficient customer support.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are transformative customer service technology trends redefining online businesses with immersive experiences.
VR uses specialized glasses to create fully virtual environments where clients can view certain products, services, or simulations, much valued for industries such as real estate, tourism, and education.
On the other hand, AR overlays digital elements onto the real world to enable features like virtual try-ons for retail or real-time troubleshooting guides for tech products.
These technologies enhance engagement and problem-solving and create memorable customer interactions.
Example of augmented reality technology
Vuforia is a comprehensive AR platform that allows users to access and share augmented reality experiences that are rich with 3D content and IoT data on mobile devices and digital virtual reality tools based on their needs.
An interactive voice response system is an automated telephony customer service technology that interacts with callers through voice commands or keypad inputs.
This customer service technology helps gather information, route calls to the appropriate department, and provide self-service options to customers without needing to speak to a live agent.
IVR software efficiently handles high call volumes, reduces wait times, and provides callers with self-service options for faster resolution of their inquiries.
Example of interactive voice response technology
Aircall is a cloud-based IVR tool for business communication with solutions for education, marketing, healthcare, and financial service companies.
Businesses can use a visual editor to set up their IVR system with a phone number and message, hold music, and customize it to work differently depending on the time of day.
Users can also integrate Aircall with other customer service solutions to streamline customer service.
In this section, we will tackle various challenges you may face when using customer service technology.
Being aware of these challenges enables you to reduce risks and find appropriate strategies for handling them.
Problems such as server downtime, integration issues, and software bugs can disrupt service availability and affect the customer experience.
Poorly programmed AI can lead to delays and significant customer dissatisfaction.
To minimize disruptions, you must have:
Relying highly on technology can result in a lack of empathy in customer interactions.
Some customers can be frustrated when dealing with automated or impersonal systems, especially for sensitive issues that require empathy and human judgment.
According to a study by Contact Briefing, 66% of Gen Z are less likely to prefer talking to a real human in person or on the phone for customer support compared to Gen X (76%) and Boomers (86%).
To mitigate this challenge:
Cybersecurity is essential when incorporating customer service technology to avoid leaking sensitive information to unauthorized individuals.
Handling customer data through technology carries in-built risks. AI systems that collect and analyze information can raise customer concerns about privacy and data security.
You should implement effective data protection measures, such as encryption and secure authentication, to avoid potential hacking and breaches.
Customer needs and expectations change unexpectedly, requiring businesses to be flexible to satisfy customers.
Automated AI-driven tools may struggle to handle unexpected customer queries outside their programmed responses.
These systems may not adapt to the changing customer needs and preferences, leading to unsatisfied customers.
Stay active in changing customer needs by regularly collecting feedback, analyzing data trends, and implementing new strategies.
Support agents’ dependence on automation to handle tasks can lower critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Stabilize automation with human oversight to ensure that customer service technology improves, rather than replaces, the expertise of service agents.
In summary, efficiency in customer service requires cutting-edge tools- and technology is here to make this possible.
Customers prefer quick, quality services with minimal errors, and incorporating customer service technology into your support operations enables you to meet these expectations.
BoldDesk is the ultimate customer service solution for businesses aiming to enhance their customer support and deliver outstanding experiences.
It provides a comprehensive suite of customer service tools designed to reduce agent effort and foster enduring customer relationships.
To experience how BoldDesk can revolutionize your customer service, reach out to our support team to schedule a 30-minute live demo from us. You can also sign up for a 15-day free trial today!
Which other trending client service technology didn’t we mention? Please leave a comment in our feedback section. We’ll be glad to hear from you.
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