Overall, close to three-fourths of respondents think contacting customer service is a frustrating experience. The leading reason why was long waits and hold times (60.2%). Nearly as many (58.6%) dreaded being transferred and having to re-explain a problem over and over, while 49.9% feared having to navigate a seemingly endless automated menu.

When asked about current and future tech, 62.0% said they liked email and messenger chatbots that collect information and get the right support agent, and 75.9% said chat-based messaging would be a preferred means to contact customer service if they knew they would get an immediate response. Granted, Helpshift is a messaging-based platform invested in texting for customer service. 

Still, not everyone was enamored by chatbots. According to the study, 50.7% of respondents said dealing with chatbots prevents them from connecting with a human, while 47.5% said they lead to too many unhelpful responses. Nearly 40% said they redirect to self-serve FAQs.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: retail.emarketer.com