William Cusick writes:
I know I've yapped about automated customer service systems before, but - despite so-called cost efficiencies - there are compelling reasons to seriously think about abandoning this technology until somebody can come up with a truly better mousetrap.
Consider these numbers from Forrester - only 16% of callers to automated systems felt "completely satisfied" after calling with a problem, and almost 3 out of 4 felt "customer rage," according to another survey.
The overall frustration is so high, there are "tricks" being shared on the Internet that allow you to skip by several layers of options and get to a person more quickly on some of the huge company systems. When people are trying to figure out how to "beat" your automated system in order to resolve an issue, you should know that you have a problem.
Sure, having a person answer the phones is more expensive than an automoton in the short term. But if the current answer ticks off three quarters of your customers, how much are you really saving?
thro' customerperspective