Product availability and shipment concerns prompt UK shoppers to prioritise human-enabled CX this Golden Quarter, finds new Five9 research
Five9, provider of the Intelligent CX Platform, has today released a new survey of 2,000 UK consumers which highlights the importance of the human touch in providing exceptional customer service (CX) during the upcoming retail Golden Quarter.
Last year saw supply chain disruptions impact festive stock and shipments. This year, almost half of Brits said fast shipping and delivery times (48%) and product availability (48%) will be the most important factors for their upcoming festive shopping.
Should they encounter any issues here, almost three in five (58%) Brits would prefer to interact with a human agent either via the phone or online. In this scenario, almost half (46%) of UK shoppers are prepared to wait no longer than fifteen minutes for a retailer to deal with their query before becoming frustrated.
AI transparency key to maintaining peak season brand loyalty
The survey of 2,000 UK consumers aimed to identify customer sentiment towards AI and CX to inform retail customer service (CX) strategies ahead of the important Golden Quarter.
While 89% of Brits are aware that companies are using AI to engage with customers, the latest findings reveal that only 25% of consumers find these solutions very helpful and efficient for CX interactions. Additionally, almost half (46%) of Brits do not trust the information provided by AI-powered customer service bots.
Given that almost three-quarters (70%) of UK shoppers say one bad experience with a brand would negatively impact their brand loyalty, retailers must prioritise transparency for how AI and human counterparts work together to improve customer satisfaction during the upcoming peak season.
Niki Hall, Chief Marketing Officer, Five9, said,
“While AI has the power to mitigate customer service frustrations, it’s the human touch that makes the difference,”
“By using AI to automate transactional and routine tasks, retail agents will have more time to focus on complex issues that require critical thinking and empathy. As consumer expectations become heightened, brands must prioritise transparency to build enduring trust and loyalty with British customers.”
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The Five9 Intelligent CX Platform, powered by Five9 Genius AI, provides a comprehensive suite of solutions to power AI-elevated customer experiences that deliver better business outcomes and Bring Joy to CX™. Our unified cloud-native offering enables hyper-personalized customer experiences and more empowered employees, making every customer interaction more connected, effortless, and personal. Trusted by 2,500+ customers and 1,400+ partners globally, Five9 brings together the power of AI, our platform, and our people to drive AI-elevated CX.
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