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Invoca Report Finds Most Consumers Want to Call Businesses, but Only Half are Satisfied with the ExperienceSANTA BARBARA, Calif., June 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers want to call businesses directly before making a high-stakes purchase, according to a new report published today by Invoca, the leader in conversation intelligence for revenue teams. The "Invoca Buyer Experience Benchmark Report," analyzes the sentiments of 500 U.S. consumers and pinpoints the importance of the phone call in the buyer journey for purchases that require consumers to do research or put more thought into a decision — often due to complexity or cost of the item or service — particularly over the past year of volatility. The study found that 68% of consumers find the human connection aspect of calling businesses attractive and say they prefer to communicate in this way more than any other channel, including online channels like chat or email. However, just over half of the respondents said they were satisfied with their experience calling a business overall. Human Conversations Have a Significant Impact on the Buying Experience With storefronts closed and consumers limiting physical interactions, eCommerce sales skyrocketed in 2020, reaching upwards of $860 billion — an unprecedented 44% increase from the year prior. While consumers turned to online channels to make everyday purchases, they still want human assistance to complete more complex transactions. Consumers frequently call businesses to get this help, and the Invoca report found that this isn't a last resort. In fact, the study found people prefer to cal. Specifically, most respondents call to do more research (44%) and, simply, because they feel most comfortable completing high-stakes purchases on the phone (30%). "In these high-stakes transactions, consumers want to feel confident that they are making the right buying decision, and offering a human touch is the best way to provide that reassurance and build a rapport with them," said Dee Anna McPherson, CMO of Invoca. "However, this also means that businesses must pay close attention to the experience that their customers are having on the phone and implement the technology needed to perfect it, because it can make or break the reputation of their brands." Invoca's Spring 2021 Buyer Experience Benchmark Report key findings include:
Consumers are beginning to venture out into the world again, though the desire for information and support from real people remains stronger than before the pandemic. Consumers expect patience and empathy from these interactions, so it's critical that businesses' sales, marketing and support teams ensure a smooth and more efficient customer experience. By empowering agents with data and investing in technology that gets customers to the right person right away, businesses can nurture these important relationships, accelerate revenue growth and increase customer loyalty. The full report is available here. To learn more about how sales and marketing teams can create better customer experiences with conversation intelligence, register for Drive with Data, a free, two-hour launch event headlined by NASCAR driver Julia Landauer, and featuring sessions with Invoca customers. The Drive with Data virtual event will be held June 9, 2021 at 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. PDT. Click here to register for free. Survey Methodology About Invoca View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/invoca-report-finds-most-consumers-want-to-call-businesses-but-only-half-are-satisfied-with-the-experience-301306542.html SOURCE Invoca |