Nearly 6/10 Say their Businesses Aren’t Very Successful at Consistently Delivering Positive Customer Experiences, Finds New CX Survey

• As per the survey conducted by HBR Analytic Services in association with Tata Communications, 94% of respondents believe consistently delivering positive customer interactions is very important to business success in their industry
• However, a mere 38% say their organisation is very successful at achieving the above
• Top challenges cited are the lack of collaboration across teams (48%), need more/better talent (40%), siloed and disorganised customer data (39%), lack of data analysis capabilities (39%), and different digital tools or dashboards used across the organisation (35%)

A new customer experience (CX) and customer interactions survey by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services in association with Tata Communications, revealed some startling insights. While 94% acknowledge it is very important that organisations consistently deliver positive customer interactions for business success, a mere 38% say their organisation is very effective at consistently delivering them.

These findings are part of a December 2023 global pulse survey, in which 264 members of the Harvard Business Review Audience, all familiar with their organisation’s strategy and approach to customer interactions, answered questions about how their companies manage customer interactions and their future plans to transform customer experiences. The report also features in-depth interviews with academicians and industry experts, highlighting the evolving world of customer interactions.

Furthermore, the survey reveals a few key roadblocks that organisations need to address to create quality customer interactions:

• 48% of respondents cite a lack of collaboration across teams as a challenge, which could be hindering a unified customer journey
• 39% identify siloed/disorganised customer data, which likely makes it difficult to personalise experiences
• 35% believe the use of different digital tools or dashboards across the organisation is a challenge; this issue can create friction for both customers and staff
• Nearly half (49%) of respondents don’t feel their organisation has the right technology in place to support strong customer interactions.

The survey also highlights how each customer interaction is a building block that shapes their perception of an organisation or brand. These interactions add up to create the overall CX. That makes it clear that individual interactions, positive experiences, and business outcomes are inextricably linked.

Mauro Carobene, Vice President and Global Head – Customer Interaction Suite, Tata Communications, said: “Brands encounter multiple challenges when trying to deliver excellent customer experience, the most prominent being siloed data, lack of collaboration across departments, and working with multiple partners across different channels. Brands that work on individual touchpoints, rather than seeing each interaction as part of a journey, lack a 360-degree view of their customers.”

“With its Customer Interaction Suite, Tata Communications has created an interaction fabric, that blends AI-driven automation with seamless human-led interactions, through our communication and collaboration solutions. Our Customer Interaction Suite enables contextual, hyper-personalised and trusted interactions at scale through the entire customer journey.”

The study further revealed that making cross-channel customer interactions more seamless, consistent and personal is paramount:

• 97% of respondents say their organisation is focusing on one or more improvements to customer experience over the next 12 months
• More than half (53%) of the respondents say their organisation is increasing use of customer data analytics and customer relationship management (51%) tools over the next 12 months
• 46% plan to increase their use of process and workflow automation, while a similar proportion (44%) intends to increase the use of customer experience or engagement tools.

Alex Clemente, Managing Director, HBR Analytic Services, said: “This research underscores that the experience a company provides is often as important as its products or services in terms of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Enhancing the customer experience isn’t just the job of customer service and marketing teams; every team involved with the customer should have the capability to collaborate and contribute. Technology can be a big help in driving exceptional customer interactions across multiple channels. With the right tools, organisations can analyse customer data more effectively, personalise interactions, make that data accessible across the organisation, and create a seamless experience for both customers and employees.”

To know more about how enhanced customer interactions will boost the overall customer experience, and explore actionable insights, read the full report here.

Click here to know more about Tata Communications Customer Interaction Suite (CIS).