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UK Business Leaders Depend on Digital Technology for Improving Customer Service
News facts:
- 8-in-10 UK business leaders believe they must put customers first if their organisation is to succeed in the long-term
- Digital technology plays a vital role for many (69 percent) in improving customer service. And for half (50 percent), Artificial Intelligence (AI) will transform the services and products UK businesses offer customers
- 71 percent believe their organisation is well-positioned to meet customer expectations over the next decade
London, November 27, 2018
– More than three quarters (77 percent) of UK business leaders believe they must put customers first if their organisation is to succeed in the long-term, with a similar number (80 percent) citing ‘trust’ as an important factor for maintaining strong customer relationships. This is according to a global study commissioned by Fujitsu, which found that 62 percent of business leaders in the UK believe customers’ mistrust has increased significantly over the past three years. The good news is that the majority (71 percent) believe their organisation is well positioned to meet customer expectations over the next decade.
As these customer expectations evolve, almost two-thirds (64 percent) of UK business leaders have found their customers expect them to be more innovative in their work with them. According to the the majority of business leaders (69 percent), digital technology is playing a vital role in improving the customer experience. For a quarter (25 percent), customer relationships have significantly improved over the past few years because their organisation took steps to invest in digital technology. For example, half (50 percent) pointed to AI as a technology that will transform the services and products offered to customers.
“Emerging technologies – like Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things – are fundamentally changing the way we work and engage with customers. The UK’s new
Industrial Strategy puts technology at the heart of its success and we are already seeing a number of new and exciting innovations stem from its use,” said Rupal Karia, Head of Public and Private Sector for Fujitsu UK & Ireland. “Today, forward-thinking businesses across many industries are at the forefront of this revolution, using technology innovatively to differentiate their experiences from the competition.”
When considering the role that technology plays in customer service, there’s no sign of it slowing down. Indeed, when asked how their business is planning to adapt to meeting customer expectations over the next decade, a third (32 percent) said they will invest in digital technology to improve both services to customer and business operations and efficiencies. One example of this is the automation of certain roles in order to free up employees’ time to focus on the customer – the report revealed that the majority (56 percent) of business leaders said their organisation plans to automate some human tasks within the next three years.
Rupal Karia adds, “While technology can be used to improve customer service and better equip staff, the human touch will always be necessary to make an emotional connection. Technology should be prioritised to take on the time-consuming and mundane tasks, making way for humans to spend more time on the work that matters – such as engaging and connecting directly with customers. In a world where businesses are increasingly needing to think of innovative ways to stay a step ahead of competitors, UK organisations should be bringing technology and employees together. After all, whilst technology will transform the workplace, it will be humans that accelerate its impact.”
Notes to Editors
This quantitative research was carried out in August 2018 by independent research company Censuswide, surveying 1,936 C-Suite decision makers within mid to large sized businesses across public sector and transport, financial services, retail and manufacturing in 16 countries worldwide.
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About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 140,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.1 trillion yen (US $39 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.
About Fujitsu UK and Ireland
Fujitsu UK & Ireland employs over 9,000 people. We promote a Human Centric Intelligent Society, in which innovation is driven by the integration of people, information and infrastructure. We are committed to Digital Co-creation, blending business expertise with digital technology and creating new value with ecosystem partners and customers. We enable our customers to digitally transform with connected technology services, focused on Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Cloud - all underpinned by Security. Our customers cover both the public and private sectors, including retail, financial services, transport, manufacturing, government and defence. For more information please see http://uk.fujitsu.com
All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.
Date: 27 November, 2018
City: London