![](./assets/images/zendesk-trends-09.4fe5434ffcfe.png)
Trend
![](./assets/images/9.22258d37932b.png)
![](./assets/images/pill_headers-4.5e21e5c68e2d.png)
Voice is carving out a more advanced role focused on handling complex and escalated issues
For many years, customer support teams worked in what were deemed “call centers,” a nod to the primary way customers contacted companies for help with products or services. However, businesses have moved decisively toward a digital-first contact approach—chatbots, messaging, and of course that t old standby, email—with customers going along for the ride, albeit cautiously.
While most customers harbor no complaints about this shift, they still want the option to talk to a real human being. So despite digital-first becoming the new standard in customer service, customers expect voice to remain a viable channel, one that serves as a source of nuanced and tailored support.
71% of organizations use digital channels primarily for first contact and voice for resolving complex customer issues or escalations
![](./assets/images/zendesk-trends-09.4fe5434ffcfe.png)
Trend 9
![](./assets/images/pill_headers-4.5e21e5c68e2d.png)
Voice is carving out a more advanced role focused on handling complex and escalated issues
For many years, customer support teams worked in what were deemed “call centers,” a nod to the primary way customers contacted companies for help with products or services. However, businesses have moved decisively toward a digital-first contact approach—chatbots, messaging, and of course that t old standby, email—with customers going along for the ride, albeit cautiously.
While most customers harbor no complaints about this shift, they still want the option to talk to a real human being. So despite digital-first becoming the new standard in customer service, customers expect voice to remain a viable channel, one that serves as a source of nuanced and tailored support.
71% of organizations use digital channels primarily for first contact and voice for resolving complex customer issues or escalations
That said, customers expect more when they do reach out via phone. If they’re going to the trouble of navigating a phone tree and waiting on hold, consumers expect their issue to be resolved without needing a second call. And considering that 60 percent of consumers report being frequently transferred to another agent or department on those calls, it behooves companies to ensure that support representatives are armed with context about the customer’s problem.
That presents a problem for companies, as CX leaders attempt to balance their digital-first strategies with consumers’ demand for voice options. Forty-one percent of CX leaders say they plan to increase their budgets for phone support in 2024, and that’s a reflection of meeting customers where they are.
Yet businesses must also ensure that their digital first channels deliver exceptional service by leveraging advanced AI tools and personalization techniques. If customers can find answers easily via digital channels—most notably self-service content—that in turn reduces the amount of phone traffic for common issues.
![](./assets/images/zendesk-mini-spot-voice_1.e50f330d6dbd.png)
Preferred customer service channels for general issues vs. complex problems
General Complex or issues nuanced problems
Phone calls 16% 29%
Email 16% 13%
Self-service options 15% 5%
Live chat on the company’s website 12% 10%
In-person 6% 13%
Social media platforms 5% 3%
This visualization omits channels with a percentage below 3% and instances of ‘no preference’.
When companies create a seamless transition from digital to voice channels for handling complex issues, consumer confidence in the former rises. That in turn becomes a virtuous cycle in which customers feel increasingly satisfied with reaching out via digital channels, thus lessening demand for phone options.
For those CX leaders who see significant ROI on their CX tools, 54 percent are more likely to be actively exploring integration opportunities between voice and digital channels; that points toward the creation of seamless omnichannel experiences in which customers can move from channel to channel easily, without having to repeat themselves.
When customers do reach out over the phone, it will be crucial to have those calls answered by agents with more training, since they’ll be expected to provide personalized and nuanced help for complex issues. Meanwhile, to ensure those agents aren’t spending time on low-complexity issues, CX leaders will need to invest in technologies that make their digital channels more effective at solving a wide range of problems.
Here is where voice AI capabilities will play an important role. CX leaders who see high ROI on their support tools are 62 percent more likely to prioritize the enhancement of their voice channel by using speech analytics, natural language processing, and voice AI.
While voice channels aren’t going away anytime soon, they are rapidly evolving. CX leaders seeking an edge should adopt a dual approach: implementing advanced technologies to boost their digital channels while up-leveling their agents’ soft skills, which will pay off with higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
42% of CX leaders see generative AI influencing voice-based interactions in the next two years
When companies create a seamless transition from digital to voice channels for handling complex issues, consumer confidence in the former rises. That in turn becomes a virtuous cycle in which customers feel increasingly satisfied with reaching out via digital channels, thus lessening demand for phone options.
For those CX leaders who see significant ROI on their CX tools, 54 percent are more likely to be actively exploring integration opportunities between voice and digital channels; that points toward the creation of seamless omnichannel experiences in which customers can move from channel to channel easily, without having to repeat themselves.
When customers do reach out over the phone, it will be crucial to have those calls answered by agents with more training, since they’ll be expected to provide personalized and nuanced help for complex issues. Meanwhile, to ensure those agents aren’t spending time on low-complexity issues, CX leaders will need to invest in technologies that make their digital channels more effective at solving a wide range of problems.
Here is where voice AI capabilities will play an important role. CX leaders who see high ROI on their support tools are 62 percent more likely to prioritize the enhancement of their voice channel by using speech analytics, natural language processing, and voice AI.
While voice channels aren’t going away anytime soon, they are rapidly evolving. CX leaders seeking an edge should adopt a dual approach: implementing advanced technologies to boost their digital channels while up-leveling their agents’ soft skills, which will pay off with higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.