your last line of defense: service agents in the digital age

Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. Accenture, its logo, and High Performance Delivered are trademarks of Accenture.

Your Last Line of Defense: Service Agents in the Digital Age


In the digital age,

customer service still matters. In fact:

of customers switched

providers in 2014 because of poor service. 65%

However, companies no longer fully

control the service experience:

of customers now turn to third-party

websites, forums or chats to resolve issues. 1/4


Companies think high-value customers

prefer human interactions and Millennials

want digital-only service solutions.

Neither assumption is true.


Customers now live in both the digital and physical worlds simultaneously.

That means service must be

tightly integrated and

delivered across

all channels.


Customers will increasingly choose digitally enabled

interactions to manage their routine service transactions.

And as technologies become ever more

sophisticated, customers’ online service

experiences will become more satisfying.


But what many companies fail to realize

is that self-service technologies will only

get them so far.

Digital solutions do not replace human

interactions—they complement them.

As the management of routine service tasks shifts to

online channels, service agents will be called upon to

resolve the most complex issues.


But they will do more than solve a problem.

They will deliver a critical moment of truth for the

customer and represent a singular opportunity for

human-to-human engagement.


In many cases, the quality of the human

interaction will be the company’s last,

best hope for retaining customers.

What those agents do—and how well they do

it—will be hyper-relevant for creating a

positive customer experience.


To optimize the service experience,

companies need to:

Master the digital experience 52% of customers visit a company's website

company-managed online forum for service, but

only 46% are satisfied with the experience.

Other digital channels, including online text or

video chats, are more highly rated, and mobile

holds promise.



companies need to:

Implement a true

multi-channel service strategy Analytics, customer segmentation, social

monitoring and active listening all play a role

in helping companies determine the right

balance of digital and non-digital support

services they provide.



companies need to:

Equip the front-office

to succeed in critical,

multi-faceted roles Companies need to rethink talent procedures,

pipelines and structures as empathy, active

listening, conflict resolution and crisis

management become key skills to create

satisfying experiences for frustrated customers.

LEARN MOREabout how the human component will

differentiate customer service in the

digital age with our full report:


Your Last Line of Defense:Service Agents in the Digital Age

https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights-service-agents-in-digital-stage.aspx?c=strat_stratsmcss_10000036&n=smc_0316

https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights-service-agents-in-digital-stage.aspx?c=strat_stratsmcss_10000036&n=smc_0316

your last line of defense: service agents in the digital age

Technology