ChatGPT Still Low On Consumers’ Choice of Customer Service: Study
While generative AI is expected to play an increased role in digital customer journeys, very few people are currently turning to tools like ChatGPT for answers, according to a report from enterprise AI platform provider Coveo.
Coveo partnered with Arlington Research to survey 4,000 U.S. and U.K. adults who use computers in their work for companies with more than 5,000 employees. The study found that 42% of respondents will go straight to a company’s website or help center when they’re looking for information, and 37% will ask their question through Google.
Only 5% turned to ChatGPT or another generative AI tool, the same percent who sought help from an online community. That’s less than half the number who would go to a physical store or call a helpline, according to the firm.
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Despite this, customers in the study predict the role of generative AI plays in their shopping will continue to expand. While 72% expect companies to have a virtual shopping assistant that can help them with product selection or problem troubleshooting, most respondents preferred to be helped by humans no matter what issue they were having.
They also rarely report issues with digital self-service tools, meaning companies may not be aware of the problems with their automated support that are driving these preferences.
Digital Experience Expectations
For the third consecutive year, the study found that the vast majority of respondents expected the online experience to be equal to or an improvement on their in-store experience, but that they were often disappointed. Half of respondents said they found website navigation to be slow and too complicated and an increasing number were frustrated by irrelevant search results.
While 39% of the respondents said they use social media to discover new products from friends and influencers, 14% would actually make purchases through a social media site. Forty-five percent went to a brand’s website for the transaction, and about a third (31%) checked if the product they wanted was available at a local store, emphasizing the importance of a way to check local inventory.
More shoppers did research online before making a brick-and-mortar transaction than engaged in showrooming.
The study stressed the importance of providing a consistent experience across channels, with 36% of respondents expressing frustration at feeling like they are communicating with different departments rather than one company. Younger shoppers were especially likely to be disappointed with customer service, website navigation and search issues as digital natives have higher expectations for how companies use technology.
