REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Support.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPRT), makers of Support.com® Cloud software for Support Interaction Optimization, and a leading provider of tech support and turnkey support center services, today released a new report uncovering consumer expectations for more personalized and automated technology support in the near future. The survey found that while tech support is improving, consumers have high expectations and want more intelligent solutions in the next five years.
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The Future of Tech Support (Graphic: Business Wire)
The Future of Tech Support survey report tapped consumer sentiment on emerging artificial intelligence-driven customer service and support technologies like chatbots and self-healing products. Nearly a quarter of consumers (22%) said they are aware when these automated customer service representatives are providing tech support, and are comfortable with the experience.
The report also found generational differences in consumer sentiment about the future of tech support. Millennials are driving the information-sharing trend with the understanding that data in context helps create a better, more personalized customer support experience. Data also shows that millennials prefer and are more open to using automated, intelligent tech support options than older generations of consumers.
Key findings outlined in The Future of Tech Support include:
- 57% think tech support is better now than it was five years ago
- 70% expect the quality and convenience of tech support to improve over the next five years
- 31% of millennials think chatbots provide better, more efficient tech support; only 13% of older consumers agree
- 33% are willing to pay a premium for tech support rather than troubleshooting issues on their own
- 42% are comfortable sharing user data from devices and products if it enables companies to provide better tech support; 49% of millennials agree
“Technology support is at an inflection point. In fact, consumers believe tech support is actually improving and it’s better than it was five years ago,” explained Alex Poulos, VP of Marketing and Customer Success at Support.com. “And consumers are optimistic about tech support experiences in the future. Technology brands that understand where customers will be in the future and start testing and deploying intelligent technology support solutions today can stay one step ahead of their customers – and their competition.”
Types of advanced support experiences consumers are expecting in the future include:
- Concierge support: products that include dedicated customer support representatives available to assist through any communication channel
- Automated or virtual assistants: chatbots or voice-activated virtual assistants that provide answers to tech support questions
- Proactive support: products that notify consumers in advance about potential issues
- Self-healing products: products that fix issues automatically without any user interaction
“As the era of artificial intelligence in customer service and support begins to emerge, the near-term solutions have great potential to drive more productivity in the fielding and resolution of customer inquiries,” Poulos continued. “The real power of artificial intelligence in the future will be to use machines to learn from even the most complex technical issues and to integrate data from multiple sources to deliver a personalized, relevant and one-to-one support experience.”
Support.com surveyed over 2,000 U.S. consumers in August 2016 about their experiences interacting with technology products and customer support.
To read the full report, download The Future of Tech Support.
About Support.com
Support.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPRT) is the leading provider of cloud software and services to deliver next-generation technical support. Support.com helps leading brands in software, electronics, communications, retail, Internet of Things (IoT) and other connected technology industries deepen their customer relationships. Customers want technology that works the way it’s intended. By using Support.com software and services, companies can deliver a fantastic customer experience, leading to happier customers, greater brand loyalty and growing revenues.
For more information, please visit http://www.support.com or follow us @support_com.
Support.com, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, visit http://www.support.com/about-us/careers.
© 2016 Support.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Support.com and the Support.com logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Support.com, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
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