Singapore, October 4: Companies can do more to improve their customers’ online interactions – a new first of its kind survey has found.
Commissioned by Singapore-based SaaS provider CINNOX, the survey found that less than 20 per cent of consumers in the Asia Pacific region were pleased with their online customer experience (CX) with the majority reporting discontent.
“CX is the battleground that organisations compete on,” CINNOX chief strategy officer Patsy Wong (pictured above and on the right) said.
“The study shows organisations lack the methodologies and insights to truly curate delightful CXs for different emerging personalities, based on their preferences and intents.”
Commissioned by CINNOX, Forrester surveyed 1,200 customers across Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore and is the first study focused on identifying CX changes and trends in post-pandemic within the region.
Only 16 per cent of all surveyed customers recently experienced online interactions that exceeded their expectations.
This indicates companies can do more to deliver quality experiences online.
In more developed markets like Hong Kong and Singapore, customer experience sentiments were the lowest, with only seven per cent and nine per cent, respectively.
Meanwhile, Malaysia recorded a slightly higher sentiment at 12 per cent.
In Malaysia, four critical attributes emerged as the top expectations for good CX which were first-time resolution (56 per cent), short response times (40 per cent), knowledgeable representatives (35 per cent), and accessible representatives (35 per cent).
To meet these expectations, the study identified five customer personas that have emerged post-pandemic, each of which exhibits different preferences and require bespoke customer solutions.
To meet CX expectations, the survey identified five customer personalities who require bespoke CX type of solutions, they are:
Omni-Shoppers
Forty-four per cent of respondents aged 20 to 49 find both human and digital touch points important. They feel safe with digital interactions and want multiple channel CX that transit seamlessly. They have engaged in online activities pre-pandemic, and have started doing more.
Multi-Channel Enthusiasts
Fifteen per cent of respondents aged 20 to 49 use multiple channels for customer service and support, but want their issues resolved end-to-end within a single touchpoint during an interaction without needing to switch channels. They were already engaged in mostly online activities pre-pandemic, and have increased engagement since.
Reserved Digital Immigrants
Fifteen per cent of respondents aged 50 prefer offline touch points, or online touch points with live human support, without having to switch communication across touch points. They feel less safe with digital interactions, and have not yet engaged in many online activities since the pandemic started.
Affluent High Touch Seekers
Fifteen per cent of respondents aged 50 and above, and mostly high-income earners, prefer offline touch points, but are also comfortable with digital. They want high personal touch both offline and online, to establish greater trust and rapport. They had already engaged in some pre-pandemic online activities, and have increased engagement since.
Low-Touch Digital Natives
Twelve percent of respondents below 30 years old are happy with self-service digital touch points across the customer journey, with little or no human intervention required, such as chatbots. They have already been engaged in mostly online activities pre-pandemic, and increased engagement since then.
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