When it comes to small businesses, Australian consumers don’t see outstanding service as a differentiator anymore. Instead, they seem to be viewing it as a baseline requirement.
So says Zoho’s Customer Insights and Perceptions report, which investigates how customer expectations are changing amid the rise of AI and automation.
Customers expect instantaneous responses from small businesses
Technological advancements and the rise of the “on-demand economy” seem to be inflating customer expectations.
For instance, 22 per cent of customers anticipate instant responses from small businesses. Moreover, the vast majority of respondents say that 24/7 customer service is either “extremely” or “somewhat” important.
“Influenced by so-called ‘appification’ of industries and processes – where we can order a product, book a taxi or receive the answer to a question in seconds – consumers have incredibly high expectations,” said Vijay Sundaram, Zoho’s Chief Strategy Officer. “According to our research, those expectations extend to small businesses.”
What about AI?
Despite customers having high expectations when it comes to customer service, many say they are okay with having their enquiries answered by a robot. Almost 90 per cent of respondents say that small businesses should offer a combination of human and automated customer service. However, 42 per cent would “not trust” a business that only offered automated support.
While not all customers may appreciate AI as a customer service rep, many seem ready to trust its recommendations. When asked whether they trust suggestions from a friend or AI more when purchasing a product, 40% of respondents said they valued the AI’s word more.
As AI continues to develop, it is becoming a crucial tool to help businesses keep up with growing customer expectations.
