Why Resolution Matters More Than Ever

In my experience at WP Engine and Square, where I helped orchestrate customer experience programs and product launches, the goal has always been clear: create a positive, memorable experience that resolves customer issues effectively. This is not just about fixing the problem at hand but also about ensuring the customer feels heard, understood, and valued.

Imagine a customer has an issue with resetting their password—a relatively simple task, yet one that can create unnecessary friction if not handled properly. If a chatbot or IVR system struggles to handle this issue or, worse, redirects them multiple times, frustration mounts. The customer’s simple issue has now turned into a negative experience, souring their overall perception of the brand. By focusing on resolving the issue at the first point of contact—whether through a well-designed self-service tool or an empathetic human interaction—you can turn this friction point into a positive interaction.

The Pitfalls of Deflection: Bad IVRs and Chatbots

While automation can be an invaluable tool for customer service organizations, poorly designed automation can do more harm than good. IVR (interactive voice response) systems and chatbots have their place in streamlining certain tasks, but when they’re misused or not customer-centric, they create an even more frustrating experience.

A common example of this is the dreaded IVR loop. An angry customer calls in, already frustrated, and is greeted by an IVR that fails to properly route them to the right agent or insists on providing them with a series of irrelevant options. After being passed around several times or getting stuck in an endless cycle of menu choices, that customer is likely to be far more upset than when they first picked up the phone.

Similarly, poorly designed chatbots can add to the problem. When a customer engages with a bot, they’re looking for help, not a canned response that doesn’t address their issue. Worse still, many chatbots lack the ability to recognize frustration or escalate appropriately, leaving customers feeling ignored or misunderstood. This deflects the issue rather than resolves it, pushing customers to find workarounds or vent their frustrations on social media.

Automation: A Tool for Resolution, Not Deflection

Automation can be incredibly effective when done right. A well-designed bot or IVR system can handle basic, repetitive tasks like password resets or account balance inquiries quickly and efficiently, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex, nuanced problems.

In my time managing customer operations at WP Engine, I led the implementation of AI-driven customer service solutions, including chatbots designed to handle routine queries. We didn’t see these as tools to deflect customers from human interaction, but as ways to offer quicker resolutions to straightforward issues. This allowed our support teams to concentrate on more in-depth troubleshooting and customer success efforts—those bigger, more complex issues that required human judgment and empathy.

The key to making automation work is ensuring that it’s designed to alleviate pain points, not add to them. For example, a chatbot designed to help customers reset a password should be simple, intuitive, and easy to use. If it’s not, then it’s not actually resolving a problem—it’s just shifting the burden to the customer. Moreover, if a customer expresses frustration during the interaction, the system should recognize that and immediately escalate to a human representative who can address their concerns in real-time.

Empathy and Human Connection are Irreplaceable

Automation should never fully replace the human element in customer service. While bots and self-service options are great for handling simple requests, there will always be a need for empathetic human agents who can understand the context of a customer’s issue, offer personalized solutions, and calm emotions when needed.

When a customer is frustrated, the last thing they want is to feel like they’re not being heard. Being passed between systems or deflected to a support center article that doesn’t fully address their problem only exacerbates that frustration. Companies that focus on resolution—whether through human or automated support—are the ones that will cultivate long-term loyalty and trust.

Focusing on Resolution: Building Positive Customer Experiences

At the end of the day, customer service is about creating positive experiences that build trust and foster loyalty. Deflecting customers to self-service options or automated systems without addressing their concerns only erodes that trust. By focusing on resolution—getting to the heart of the problem and solving it efficiently—companies can turn negative experiences into opportunities to build stronger customer relationships.

Here are some guiding principles to focus on resolution over deflection:

1. Automation Should Solve Problems: Use automation to handle routine, repetitive tasks, but ensure it’s intuitive and easy to use. Make sure chatbots and IVRs are designed to resolve issues, not to frustrate customers further.
2. Escalation Should Be Seamless: If a customer is frustrated or if their issue is too complex for automation, make it easy for them to connect with a human agent who can help.
3. Empathy is Key: Whether a customer is interacting with a bot or a human, the system should recognize and respond to their emotions. A simple “I understand how frustrating this must be” can go a long way in calming an upset customer.
4. Free Up Human Agents for Complex Issues: Automation can be incredibly valuable in handling routine tasks, but the human touch is essential for resolving more complex, high-stakes issues. Let your support teams focus on what they do best—solving the tough problems that require empathy and expertise.
5. Measure What Matters: Don’t measure success by how many customers you deflect to self-service. Instead, track resolution times, customer satisfaction scores, and repeat contacts to understand how well you’re actually resolving customer issues.

Conclusion: Resolution is the Key to Customer Satisfaction

At its core, customer service should always be focused on resolving issues, not deflecting them. Automation can help, but only if it’s designed with the customer’s experience in mind. By alleviating simple pain points through intuitive self-service and empowering human agents to tackle more complex problems, companies can create a customer service experience that drives satisfaction and builds long-term loyalty.

An angry customer doesn’t want to be redirected four times or deal with a chatbot that can’t understand their frustration. They want resolution—and if we focus on providing that, we can transform customer service from a pain point into a competitive advantage.