Editor's Note: This article orginally appeared on April 18th, 2018
AI? Chatbots? IoT? Alexa? Forget about them.
According to a survey from PricewaterhouseCooper, if a company wants to improve its customer experience, it needs to enhance its human experience.
Three-quarters of the 15,000 consumers across 12 countries surveyed by PwC reported that while the consumer generates the revenue, it’s the employees—not the technology—who drive the experience and make the difference. However, just 44 percent said they felt employees understood their needs well—a number that was even lower (38 percent) in the United States.
“Brands won’t be able to solve their CX problems with technology alone—it’s just an enabler, facilitating the connection between a product or service and consumers,” said David Clarke, PwC principal and Experience Consulting Leader.
And it makes a big difference.
Two-thirds of the consumers found that a positive brand experience is more influential than great advertising, and 41 percent said they would actually pay more for knowledgeable and helpful employees.
On top of that, 60 percent said they would stop doing business with a brand as a result of a bad experience—with 30 percent saying they would walk away from a brand they love after a single bad experience.
Nearly half cited unknowledgeable employees as a key reason for a bad experience.
“[Brands] must find a way to create an experience that blends consumer demand for tech with their strong desire for authentic, personal interaction,” Clarke added. “They don’t need to look far, though—employees hold the key to creating and sustaining great interactions with consumers.”