How do customers want to talk to businesses? Our new survey reveals what you need to know

We are fast approaching a new year, with major changes in customer service trends and customer expectations. So what does "good customer support" look like in 2023?

We did a big survey to find out what people want and expect from customer service, and we came up with some fascinating findings. Our latest study reached out to 1,000 US customers of all generations to learn more about what they want and expect from businesses as we head into 2023.

"Three out of four customers said feeling valued was a major factor in their decision to continue doing business with a company"

The overriding theme is that customers want to feel valued. Three out of four customers said feeling valued was a major factor in their decision to continue doing business with a company, while 64% will get their money elsewhere if that feeling isn't there.

Delivering an exceptional customer experience means having a deep understanding of the context and individual preferences of your customers. Des Traynor, Co-Founder of Intercom and Chief Strategy Officer at Intercom, sums it up this way: "Consumers expect more from companies to be transparent, present and available to connect. The way you talk to customers, where you talk and what you say affects whether or not they continue to entrust you with their business."

The results reveal fascinating insights into business preferences regarding how companies should talk to their customers, where they speak to those customers, and what they say when communicating with customers. Here are some of the main takeaways:

How you talk to customers

The tone and style of communication is the basis of personalized customer service. Gone are the days of stuffy business speeches delivered by email or even letter.

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Tone: The study showed an overall preference for a professional tone (56%), largely driven by baby boomers, but with 61% of Gen Z shoppers surveyed favoring a casual approach, which is set to change rapidly over the next few years. .

Message style: More than a third (35%) of respondents prefer multiple shorter messages over longer paragraphs, with millennials showing the strongest preference (49%).

Use of emoji: Your corporate tone doesn't just apply to the words you use, it also includes images. About 59% of consumers agree with companies that use emojis, but be sure to cater to your audience. Younger markets like Gen Z and Millennials like using emoji in business conversations, while Gen X and Baby Boomers are less enamored, with acceptance rates of 60% and 32 % respectively.

The study dug a little deeper to find out which emojis are welcome and which consumers might go without. One in four prefer basic facial expressions, while object-based emojis are preferred by only 13% of consumers. Whatever emojis you decide to use, don't overdo it: 28% of consumers said that a company using too many emojis in their communications would encourage them to reach out.

Best takeaway: Tailor your tone to your audience, the same way you would copy your website.

Where you talk to customers

The survey confirmed what we knew to be true: context is key to world-class customer service. Understanding the channels your customers use and the types of messages they expect to receive on each is key to delivering the smooth, personalized support they expect.

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Yes to Direct Messaging: We chat with our friends and family via messaging, so why not the companies we buy from? 86% of respondents said they would be ok with companies communicating with them the same way they talk to friends and family, and 60% of all generations want companies to use messages direct and SMS to communicate with them.