Sitel UK, experts in outsourced customer contact solutions, today announced that consumers do not want to wait when seeking information or advice, meaning that they do not want to be left on hold on the phone or to wait for an email response. These are just some of the findings of the new “Customer Relations Trends to watch in 2013” report.

“Email as a primary channel of support has passed its pinnacle and no longer meets the expectation of customers for immediate resolution”, says Sitel’s Marketing Director, Joe Doyle. “We are working with a number of clients implementing strategies that engage customers on-line, replacing services such as the email channel with proactive chat, mobile and social engagement solutions.”

IDC forecasts that over the next two to three years that email will decrease by 4-5%, while self-service, chat and social channels will all show growth of double-digit percentages.

The report looks at the changing behaviour of consumers and where 2013 is taking the contact centre and customer service industries. It particularly addresses how the customer service industry is responding to continued pressure on cost, the expectation for higher quality, increasingly complex requirements integrating with social media channels, the omni-channel approach, and the mixed shore strategies that are on the rise.

For a free copy of the report please New Sitel Report