Customer expectations are at an all-time high. Customers expect brands to use a high level of technology … but they also demand human connection. In response, more companies are starting to use what’s known as guided customer support, or Guided CX, combining the powers of both technology and humanity to deliver a standout customer experience.
Let’s dive into what guided customer support is, how companies are using it to improve the customer experience, and the measurable impact it’s having on their business goals.
What is guided customer support?
Guided customer support provides the human connection customers are looking for in their digital support interactions. Using technology like screensharing, cobrowsing, and video, customer service agents are able to provide white glove, next-level support to customers needing assistance.
How does guided customer support improve the customer experience (CX)?
Self-help articles and chatbots have lightened the load for customer service agents — but they aren’t a complete solution. The allure of AI has worn off, and what is intended to be (and can be) a powerful tool is increasingly becoming a source of frustration for consumers. In fact, 80% of survey respondents said that using chatbots increased their frustration level. Sheesh.
This doesn’t mean AI is going away. But it does highlight that people are craving the empathy and expertise of real people.
Guided customer support marries technology and humanity. It transforms a “do it yourself” frustration into a “do it together” opportunity. Customers feel seen and supported, which leads to greater trust, greater loyalty, and measurable results.
How companies are using guided customer support today
Companies are using Glance’s Guided CX solutions to empower service agents to connect with the digitally connected customer. Agents are gaining instant understanding of the customer’s problem and are able to more quickly guide them to a solution, while simultaneously humanizing the brand.
Here are some of the ways companies are leveraging our Guided CX tools to take their digital customer support to the next level.
Seeing from the customer’s perspective with Screen Sharing
Through screen sharing, customer service agents can instantly see what customers are seeing on-screen, enabling them to quickly understand problems and guide them to a speedy solution.
Getting on the same page, literally, with Cobrowsing
Cobrowsing enables online collaboration. Unlike screen share, cobrowse solutions let agents scroll a web page or app together with customers. The agent can highlight elements on the customer’s screen including text, graphics, form fields, and navigation controls.
Axos Bank uses Glance Cobrowse to empower Axos bankers to see exactly what an account holder sees on their screen as they navigate the online banking app. “We’re able to jump right into whatever issue the customer may be facing and provide real-time guidance as opposed to trying to make them describe what they see on the screen,” said Jonathan Crane, Senior VP, Centers of Excellence, Axos Bank.
Read: What is Cobrowse and how is it different from Screen Share?
Creating memorable, personal experiences with video
Nothing says “I’m here for you” like a friendly face in a video chat. Video humanizes brands and is one of the fastest-growing customer interaction channels: From 2019 to 2020, adoption grew by 15.8%, and from 2020 to 2021, it grew by 18.8% (source).
Intuit uses Glance’s one-way video to let customers connect with the TurboTax expert they’re speaking with, which Stacie Herring, Director of Assisted Experience, says has been “a gamechanger for Intuit.”
“To us, just because you’re using digital technology doesn’t mean that the interaction has to be impersonal,” she said. “Intuit is full of people who care passionately about our customers, and visual technology takes the human element leaps and bounds forward in the experience.”
Real-world results from companies across industries
Companies across industries are seeing a real, measurable impact from implementing guided customer support. When customers can show the issue they’re having, it saves a lot of time and frustration. The result is a much better experience that shows in the numbers.
- Improved CSAT. Among those using Guided CX, customer satisfaction improvement is the top positive result of using the technologies, cited by 67.4% of companies.
- Reduced call handling time (CHT). When using Guided CX, companies reduce CHT by an average of 39.7%. The likelihood the call will be resolved with the first interaction is also improved.
- Increased revenue. Over 42% of companies using Guided CX report increases in revenue.
- Decreased overall costs. Nearly 41% of companies using Guided CX report decreases in overall costs.
Download the Guided CX eBook by Metrigy
It’s interesting to note that these results are amplified when video is added to the equation. Customer ratings improve 41.7% with video, versus 27.7% without. Revenue and agent efficiencies also see significant improvements with video versus without.
The numbers tell part of the story, but the positive customer experience is what’s driving the improved metrics. MINDBODY, an SaaS company and the world’s leading wellness services online marketplace, uses Glance visual engagement to erase barriers to communication between agents and customers. Using cobrowse and one-way video, they can visually troubleshoot with customers. Customers have become so accustomed to the cobrowsing experience that they even ask reps to launch Glance sessions when they call — a true testament to how guided customer support can transform the customer experience.
“We hear customers begin calls with, ‘Can we do the thing where you see my screen?’” said KC Duggan, Business Relationship Manager at MINDBODY. “Leveraging Glance visual engagement has improved our overall brand image by improving our support offering. Where previously we only addressed auditory, kinaesthetic learners, now we’re connecting with visual learners too. Glance helps us increase our customer’s confidence and ability to repeat the solution.”
Read the case study to learn more about how MINDBODY used guided customer support to drive higher adoption, increase customer satisfaction, and lower costs.
