As businesses continue to evolve and compete in today’s highly digital and connected world, the importance of excellent customer experience management cannot be overstated. With the rise of social media, review sites and platforms such as marketplaces, customers now have more power than ever to share their experiences with others. As a CX Trends 2023 case study by Zendesk found out, 66 per cent of customers said that a bad interaction with a business can ruin their day.

If the last year taught us anything, it’s that we must stay flexible and agile in response to market conditions. From the ongoing effects of the pandemic to the war in Ukraine and cost of living crisis, 2022 saw customer service businesses rocked by new obstacles and challenges that forced them to evolve their customer experience (CX) approach to navigate the changing landscape.

Despite the accelerating pace of Generative and Conversational AI innovation disrupting contact centers, today’s customer experience (CX) agents are under the same pressure points as always – business performance pressures from one side and demanding customer expectations from the other.

There are many moving parts in play when trying to explain, let alone execute, an exceptional customer experience. It truly takes a village and a good customer experience strategy to get things done effectively. Staying on top of your CX strategy is vital as customer behavior and digital channels of engagement continue to change how business is done. But it’s easy to be overwhelmed even before you get started.

With 92% of consumers expecting to continue to contact customer service at or above pandemic-era rates, we are facing a future where companies that aren’t customer-centric will have a hard time surviving. This is why companies must keep up with customer service trends so that they’re able to cater to these evolving customer needs.

The world has had its share of crises in the last few years from a health pandemic, political tensions, climate change, humanitarian risks, economic downturns, to technological disruptions and demands. As with any crisis, those who embrace it as an opportunity emerge as leaders. In tech, the rise of Generative AI and launch of ChatGPT disrupted the industry overnight, accelerating digital transformation investments and the adoption of Conversational AI.

A good customer service strategy can be extremely rewarding in the age of soaring customer expectations. People love to publicly acknowledge when they’ve had a memorable customer service experience. On the other hand, poor customer service can make them forget all the good experiences your company has offered. Building an airtight customer service strategy is the best way to weather the demands of today’s savvy customers.

Call center agents are often asked to do the impossible: Make every customer happy—while struggling with slow tech, increased workloads, stress, and burnout. Thankfully, many in the world of CX are discovering how to spell relief: AI. According to “The New CX Priorities,” a new industry report from Freshworks, CX leaders must treat customer support as a strategic function with far-reaching impact across the organization.

According to Freshdesk’s Future of CX report, the pandemic has forced consumers to adapt to digital channels. While the consumers of 2023 prefer digital-first experiences, they expect service providers to keep up with quality customer service across channels. As companies revisit their customer service strategy, they can take a leaf out of companies that get customer service right.