Consumers say companies are more interested in technological investments that improve profits rather than their experience, a Pegasystems survey found. More than half of consumers — 56% — say their interactions with businesses are more difficult today than they were a decade ago, according to a February survey of 4,000 consumers in North America and the U.K. Consumers’ top complaint was long wait times, followed by having to repeat the same information to different customer service agents multiple times and representatives lacking the necessary information. More than three-quarters say organizations should invest in improving how they interact with consumers, but more than two-thirds say companies’ tech investments are more often about profit than customer experience improvements. Despite investments in technology, customers say their interactions with companies are worsening. Businesses are under pressure to prove value and cut costs. But technology investments shouldn’t come at the expense of the customer, according to Maxie Schmidt, VP and principal analyst at Forrester. Consumers regularly complain about long hold times to speak to a representative. Nearly 2 in 5 customers said they change which company they frequent after a poor customer experience, according to the survey.
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