Five9 and the International Customer Management Institute Reveal Why 60 Percent of Companies Are Not Formally Supporting Social Customer Care

Five9-Sponsored Survey Uncovers the Top 8 Challenges Preventing Companies From Providing Social Customer Care

SAN RAMON, CALIF. – MAY 6, 2014 – Five9 (NASDAQ: FIVN), a pioneer and leading provider of cloud contact center software, today announced the results of the Five9-sponsored social customer care survey, conducted online by the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) among 408 contact center professionals. The research shows that more than 68 percent of businesses recognize social media as a necessary service channel, yet 60 percent of companies are not formally supporting social customer care because they don’t feel they have the right resources or tools in place to begin offering social customer care. 

Tweet This: 2014 research by @Five9 & @CallCenterICMI reveals why 60% of companies are not formally supporting #social #custcare http://bit.ly/1lS9tVc

Download the Full Report, Social Playbook, and see the Infographic here.

"With more than 1.2 billion people on Facebook and 500 million plus tweets sent daily, it seems like everything is either being said or done through social media. Organizations need to consider, with the overwhelming number of daily social interactions that occur, how they decide what really requires a response; and how they can respond as quickly and efficiently as they do to inquires over the phone."
– Lance Fried, senior vice president of social and mobile, Five9

Consumers Seek Support on Social Media 

According to the ICMI survey almost 40 percent of consumers already use social media for customer service. Additionally:

• 53 percent last used Facebook for a support interaction
• Of those that use Twitter, 21 percent have tweeted a request for service
• In the last week, 48 percent watched a support video online and 60 percent read a brand’s blog
• 86 percent say they’d be more satisfied if offered their 'channel of choice', including social
• If a brand doesn't offer the preferred communication channel, but still gives good service, 47 percent of customers would still move to a competitor that gives them both

Companies Realize It's Critical to Support Customers Via Social Channels 

More than 68 percent of businesses say social is a necessary service channel. The ICMI research also illustrated that: 

• 55 percent of companies feel social support is a competitive differentiator
• More than 38 percent think they will lose customers without social support options
• Higher customer satisfaction is reported by the 61 percent that offer social care
• 58 percent say social care increases their customer loyalty
• The risk of negative sentiment going viral is reduced by 35 percent for those companies that offer social service channels

However, More than Half of Companies are Not Formally Supporting Social Media for Customer Care 

Most companies don't feel they have the right resources or tools in place to support customers via social media. The biggest challenges that customer service teams face when trying to offer support via social media include:

• Providing accurate reporting and analytics – 80 percent
• Listening to all the social activity – 74 percent 
• Integrating social with CRM – 73 percent 
• Observing and coaching agents – 68 percent 
• Prioritizing customer responses - 66 percent 
• Arming agents with tools to quickly and effectively solve problems - 63 percent
• Eliminating SPAM from agent queues - 58 percent
• Routing posts to the correct agent - 53 percent 

Caring for Social Customers in a Noisy Social World

Researchers at ICMI have compiled a set of recommendations for how companies can successfully provide social customer care. The advice includes: how companies can get started; how to pick the right technology solution; implementing a social playbook; identifying the right team and more. Read the full set of recommendations here.

"Fewer and fewer companies are debating the necessity of providing social customer support. The conversation has shifted, focusing on how to provide customer support on social channels, rather than on the why. That's where technology comes in. If the contact center is given the right social engagement and analytic tools that empower agents, delivering excellent, next generation social customer experience will happen."
- Sarah Stealey Reed, content director and senior analyst at ICMI

To download the full report, click here.

Survey Methodology 

This survey was conducted online by the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) on behalf of Five9 in Q1 of 2014 among 408 members of the contact center community, primarily comprised of executives, directors, and managers. ICMI and Five9 were interested in comparing the preferences of contact center leaders as social media users, against their behaviors as providers of social customer service. Complete results can be found in the accompanying research report. 

About Five9 

Five9 is a pioneer and leading provider of cloud software for contact centers. For more information visit www.five9.com. 

Analyst & Media Contacts: 

Five9
Sarah Rolfing
925-298-9062
Sarah.Rolfing@Five9.com

SHIFT Communications
Katie Halloran
415-591-8459
Five9PR@shiftcomm.com