The International Customer Service Week held in October have really brought the topic into focus, with the banking sector notably embracing the campaign.
A good example of this was seen with First City Monument Bank, which launched a host of activities designed to reward customers and celebrate the achievements of employees who have championed its efforts on the issue.
Now, the banking sector’s efforts on customer support have been put under the microscope once again, thanks to a new report from Agusto & Co.
A desirable service
Technext.ng recently reported on the organization’s 2020 Consumer Digital Banking Satisfaction Index, which found that customer support was high on the list of services that were desired by many individuals.
More specifically, it revealed that 67 per cent of customers in Nigeria would like to have access to a chat option with a relationship officer when dealing with a range of banking requests. That percentage put the idea well ahead of other desired services, with 39 per cent stating they wanted bank statements with spending analysis. In addition, 31 per cent want a branch or ATM finder, while 13 per cent want an additional account opening service.
Finding effective channels
So, with customer support clearly being so vital, which channels should businesses consider if they are looking to refresh their offering?
The aforementioned Hiver study found that 35 per cent of millennials and 48 per cent of respondents in the Gen Z category felt email was the best way to get in touch. Live chat functions have also been performing well in recent times, with Forbes reporting last year on how satisfaction with such services was seemingly on the up. The site highlighted the findings of research by Comm100, which stated that the aggregate satisfaction rate on post-chat surveys had reached 83.1 per cent in 2018.
Some banking brands across the globe have embraced video technology too, with American Banker reporting earlier this month on how the likes of Citigroup have been investigating the area.
Furthermore, some other sectors have put a big focus on personalized, tailored customer support. For instance, as Casinos.co.za’s page on high roller casinos details, sites which offer VIP programs tend to include personal support among a range of special benefits for members. This often means that players have experts they can contact directly for high-quality service and assistance.
Making support a key priority
So, while organizations in the banking sector and beyond may do all kinds of things to ensure that they have happy customers, it seems that having quality support remains a key priority.
With so many different channels now being available for use within customer service, it will be fascinating to see how both banks and other organizations in Nigeria move forward and effectively address this issue. After all, it seems like a failure to do so could have significant consequences for a whole host of different brands.
