Tag: customer

64% of Irish organisations View Customer Service as a Revenue Generator

Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the global leader in CRM, today released the fifth edition of its State of Service report that shares insights from over 8,000 professionals across 36 counties, including 100 from Ireland on how customer service organisations’ priorities, challenges, success measures, and strategies are shifting amid digital-first customer expectations and economic headwinds.

Key insights of this year’s State of Service report include:

Economic Uncertainty Prompts a Focus on Efficiency. As inflation takes hold and rate hikes dominate headlines, customer service teams are leaning into new success measures and technologies that promote productivity and efficiency. 78% of service organisations in Ireland use workflow and process automation.

Digital-First Customer Service Continues to Rise. Customer migration to digital channels took off during the pandemic, and shows no signs of slowing. 64% of service organisations in Ireland offer video support, and 63% offer live chat.

The “Great Resignation” Prompts a Focus on Employee Experience. With high turnover rates, service organisations are offering perks like remote work and improved career development opportunities. Service organisations in Ireland experienced an average turnover rate of 17% over the past year.

Customer Service Continues to Expand Beyond the Contact Center. Field service is now table stakes beyond its original domain in industries such as energy and utilities. 93% of service organisations with field operations in Ireland say it’s critical to scaling their business.

Comments on the news:

  • “Customer service is on the forefront of shifts to digital-first customer engagement.” said Brian Solis, Salesforce Global Innovation Evangelist. “As economic uncertainty prompts customers and businesses to reevaluate their priorities and investments, it will be all the more critical for leaders to take stock of how their capabilities, success metrics, and strategies reinforce customer service’s position as a revenue generator that drives customer loyalty. This research provides valuable baselines and differentiators that help inform important decisions .”

For more information:

Salesforce Report Shows 86% of Irish Respondents Say Experience Is as Important as Products

Salesforce, the global leader in CRM, today released the fifth edition of its State of the Connected Customer report that shares insights from nearly 17,000 consumers and business buyers across 29 countries, including 650 from Ireland on the new digital-first customer engagement landscape.

Key insights of this year’s State of the Connected Customer report include:

A Trust-Based Economy Has Emerged. As customers navigate a rapidly changing world, questions of trust, values and integrity are increasingly impacting their relationships with companies. 91% of Irish respondents believe trust becomes more important in times of change.

Digital Acceleration Is Sparking Demand for Personalisation at Scale. Customer engagement is decidedly digital-first, but brands are under pressure to merge online and offline interactions into a personalised experience as in-person interaction re-emerges. 69% of Ireland respondents have purchased products in new ways since 2020.

New Realities Are Testing Brand Loyalties. As priorities and behaviours shift, established brand loyalties are undergoing tests of strength. 73% of Irish consumers have switched brands at least once last year.

This new digital-first world has changed the norms of commerce, work, and everyday life, prompting customers and brands to re-establish how they connect. As customers continue to shift their preferred experiences with brands to online channels, brands must re-imagine digital-first experiences that engage customers in a way that is flexible, thoughtful, and provides a personal touch.

View a breakdown of key insights from consumers and business buyers, including generation and country filters, in an interactive Tableau dashboard.

“It is more important than ever for companies to understand their customers’ needs and expectations,” said Deirdre Purcell, Country Sales Leader at Salesforce Ireland. “While businesses are navigating a changing landscape, so too are customers, with an increased importance on trust, values and integrity impacting their relationships with brands.

 “The accelerated demand for digital technology is set to continue, but it is not the only challenge leaders have to grapple with, they also need to focus on merging online and offline interactions into more personalised experiences. This new digital-first world means that companies in Ireland must re-establish how they connect with customers and engage them in a flexible, thoughtful manner.”