Customer service turns to texting over Muzak-filled phone calls

The biggest shift in customer service since the 1-800 number is underway right now, The Washington Post reports.
Some 20 million businesses now use Facebook Messenger each month to talk with customers. Apple is leading companies as diverse as Lowe’s, Marriott and Wells Fargo into taking service queries, scheduling deliveries and even paying for purchases over iMessage.
And Facebook’s WhatsApp, already used by 3 million businesses, including many outside the United States, is building a business around charging companies to better serve us over chats.
“We see more and more chatting, texting, social media interactions—and fewer and fewer voice interactions every year,” says Jamie Barton, executive vice president of sales and service at AT&T.

Messaging a business can bring new kinds of frustrations. Not every company is prepared for 21st-century customer service; some put the newbie employees on chat duty—others rely too much on robots. And of course, there are times when you are still better off picking up the phone.

It turns out people are nicer on text, which can help keep uncomfortable customer service situations from escalating into a shouting match.

LivePerson, a company that makes support software used by 18,000 companies, says when given the option, 70% of people chose a “message us” button over a “call us” button on a company website or app. And it says customer satisfaction rates are 25% higher for chatting and messaging than for calling.on.

Read the full story.