PARIS, June 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcatel-Lucent
(Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) has learned that communications
service providers have a tremendous opportunity to differentiate
themselves in the marketplace with the use of innovative self-help
customer service tools.
A comprehensive study of smartphone users carried out recently
by Alcatel-Lucent in Brazil,
Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States found that consumers prefer
to avoid dealing with service provider helpdesks, and that there is
growing evidence of a preference for using app-based self-service
tools to resolve many common service issues.
The market research found that:
- More than a quarter of Japanese, UK and US consumers prefer not
to call helpdesks.
- Almost half of Brazilians are more likely to ignore a problem
or allow it to persist to avoid contacting a helpdesk.
- While customer service helpdesks remain the primary channel for
resolving services issues, it is not the only channel and consumers
are showing a growing interest in self-service tools.
- Japanese consumers are most willing to use self-help tools such
as apps, with up to half of UK consumers and as many as 42% of
those in the US willing to sort out their own issues. In
Brazil, 53-59% did report a
willingness to use self-service tools, depending on the
service.
- The functions consumers most want to see in service providers'
apps include billing information, troubleshooting capabilities,
usage tracking and security alerts.
The study, conducted with the market research firm Penn Schoen
Berland, surveyed 5,500 consumer smartphone users who
had strong input/influence when it comes to communication
purchases. The research looked at a range of consumer trends in
mobile communications, including how smartphone users prefer to
interact with large companies, use of Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and
Voice over Wi-Fi, wearable devices, future communications including
connected vehicles, and customer experience management.
Methodology:
The survey interviewed 2,500 consumers in the United States, plus 1,000 each in
Brazil, Japan and the United
Kingdom. They were asked to give their thoughts on:
- Satisfaction with their current provider of mobile, high-speed
Internet and television services;
- Perceptions of overall service performance;
- Views on existing apps for various services;
- What features they would like in apps from their service
provider.
Quote:
Josh Aroner, Vice President,
IP Platforms Marketing, Alcatel-Lucent, said: "Customer
experience management is a primary focus for Communications Service
Providers worldwide. Keeping customers happy and, at the same
time, alleviating strain on call centers, can be complex and
challenging. This market research sets forth the critical
areas where CSPs can effectively offer a self-help approach to give
customers greater control over their service and more efficiently
manage help desk operations."
Resources:
- Download highlights of the survey results
- Ten self-help strategies for communications service
providers
- Webinar replay: Building an appealing self-service app
ABOUT ALCATEL-LUCENT (EURONEXT PARIS AND NYSE: ALU)
Alcatel-Lucent is the leading IP networking,
ultra-broadband access and cloud technology specialist. We are
dedicated to making global communications more innovative,
sustainable and accessible for people, businesses and governments
worldwide. Our mission is to invent and deliver trusted networks to
help our customers unleash their value. Every success has its
network.
For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on:
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the
Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow
the Company on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.
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visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alcatel-lucent-research-on-service-provider-interaction-by-smartphone-users-reveals-growing-popularity-of-self-help-customer-service-tools-300099592.html
SOURCE Alcatel-Lucent