In this day and age, you would think that all customer transactions would take place online. Customers buy and pay online. If they are unhappy about their business experience, they would complain online through email or through comments. Well, they could share it through social media. In fact, we see this happening.

However, a Forrester study shows that customers still prefer to call and even visit the store to air their complaints. According to the report:

Consumers would rather get customer service in-person or over the phone than online… Even online customers are just as likely to pick up the phone or go to a store as use internet customer service such as emailing or instant-messaging.

Customers prefer calling because they find it convenient and think it is the fastest way. The article shows a chart showing where customers in every channel seek out customer service. Note that brick-and-mortar shoppers still make up 87 percent of customers:

Source of Image and Quote: Forrester Research

But I think the real reason is that customers still want real human intervention. They do so because of the following reasons:

1. For service to be consummated, it needs warmth from human beings.
2. That human warmth will make customers feel valued.
3. In decision making, one person needs to consult with another. He feels more confident about his decision.
4. Customers, after all, are people They are not commodities.
5. Customers want to be treated as people.

In all this, let us not forget also the value of human interaction in B2B sales.

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