The autonomous vehicle industry is advancing at a rapid pace. However, customers are still skeptical. A Pew Research Center study found that 63% of Americans wouldn’t want to ride a driverless car and 45% would not feel comfortable sharing the road with these vehicles. A 2023 AAA study also found that 68% of Americans fear driverless cars—a 13% jump from 2022. Therefore, building trust is crucial to transforming perception into acceptance and encouraging growth.
While perfecting the software is undoubtedly the top priority for autonomous vehicle (AV) companies, paying attention to customer care is equally important. A seamless and satisfactory customer experience can increase consumer confidence and trust, establish the brand, and convince more people to embrace this revolutionary technology. Introducing a new product and idea to the market brings challenges; therefore, providing timely and accurate support can address concerns, answer queries, and reassure customers about AVs' safety, privacy, and usability. Additionally, an exceptional autonomous customer service program can act as a significant differentiator in a competitive market, enhance brand reputation, foster customer loyalty, and drive the growth of AV companies.
However, AV companies may struggle to provide excellent customer service and manage all aspects of customer experience in-house. This is where customer support outsourcing comes in. By delegating customer support to experienced external partners, AV companies can ensure an efficient, seamless, and enriched customer experience and journey while remaining cost-effective.
Why Outsource Your Customer Support?
Outsourcing customer support is when a company hires an external organization to handle customer service-related responsibilities such as answering inquiries, providing technical assistance, and helping with products or services. The main objective of having an outsourced customer experience team is to provide prompt, effective, and personalized assistance to customers while enabling the company to focus on its core operations.
Some of the customer support functions that AV companies can outsource include:
Call Centers
Call center outsourcing enables capable agents to handle inbound and outbound customer calls. For instance, if a customer has inquiries or concerns about the car or their ride, trained representatives are ready to provide accurate assistance for satisfactory resolution.
Email Support
When customers prefer communication via email support, outsourced teams ensure that issues are resolved efficiently. For example, if a customer sends an email regarding a technical glitch in their vehicle, the dedicated support team can provide diagnostic advice or schedule a maintenance appointment.
Chat or In-App Support
Chat support on websites or even in-vehicle apps can offer direct customer interactions. For example, a passenger in a vehicle having trouble adjusting the AC settings can use the in-app chat support for immediate assistance.
Customer Self-Service
Interactive platforms like user-community forums, self-service customer service, or AI-powered chatbots prompt this arm of customer support. For example, if a customer is trying to understand the operation of a particular feature, they can use the interactive troubleshooting guides or forums to get a quick resolution.
Social Media Support
Customers frequently use social media platforms or live chat support for prompt responses. Addressing these issues, complaints, or inquiries rapidly can bolster the brand’s online presence. For example, replying quickly and professionally to a complaint posted online can significantly contribute to the company's reputation.
Technical Support Outsourcing
This is essential for customers experiencing technical issues with products or services. For example, a passenger having trouble updating the product’s navigation system can seek assistance from the outsourced technical support team, who can provide step-by-step guidance to resolve the issue.
What are the Benefits of Outsourcing Customer Support?
Outsourcing customer support services can be a smart move for AV companies looking to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, and efficiently handle technology-related concerns. Here are the main benefits of outsourcing customer support in the automotive industry:
Scalability and Cost Efficiency
As the AV market expands, companies need to be able to accommodate a higher volume of customer interactions. Companies can quickly scale their customer support capabilities up or down by utilizing outsourced teams based on demand. This flexibility meets customer needs in a timely manner and contributes to cost efficiency without requiring significant capital investment tied to performing the job and maintaining a team in-house.
Increased Customer Satisfaction
AV technology can be quite new and complex for some customers to comprehend. To address this, outsourced teams of seasoned experts with extensive knowledge in this field can efficiently handle various customer inquiries and provide multilingual autonomous customer service. Whether a technical issue or a general question, they can provide prompt, accurate, and tailored responses. This ability greatly improves customer satisfaction and fosters a more personalized customer experience.
Omnichannel and Multilingual Support
Customers engage with businesses through different communication channels. Outsourced customer support teams with proficiency in multiple languages specialize in providing effortless support through multiple channels. This guarantees that customer queries and problems are promptly resolved, regardless of the language and channel they prefer to use, improving overall accessibility and satisfaction.
Technology Integration
The AV industry is fueled by technology, revolutionizing customer support and catalyzing digital business transformation. Outsourcing providers empower their teams with the latest technologies and tools that can be seamlessly integrated with the existing systems of AV companies. This symbiotic relationship between people and technology makes the customer support system more efficient and effective, enhancing customer experiences.
24/7 Support
By incorporating machine learning in automotive live chat systems, companies can provide real-time assistance across different time zones while enhancing their decision-making abilities. Machine learning algorithms analyze customer queries, predict potential issues, and enable support agents to deliver efficient solutions promptly. This intelligent approach ensures efficient troubleshooting and contributes to continuous improvement, as the system learns and adapts over time.
Outsourcing customer support offers numerous benefits. However, choosing an experienced outsourcing partner who aligns with your company goals and understands AV technology complexities is important. The right partner becomes integral to your team, amplifying customer satisfaction and contributing to the transformative journey in autonomous mobility.
An Autonomous Future with Us
For more than a decade, TaskUs has been the trusted partner of leading autonomous vehicle companies, offering exemplary customer service excellence and digital customer experience solutions. We collaborate with Level 3 and 4 AV firms to offer well-scaled, cost-effective, and highly efficient customer support services.
Our deep understanding of the end-to-end AV lifecycle allows Us to provide autonomous driving solutions that can drive your business forward. With our team's expertise and cutting-edge tools powered by Generative AI, we offer your customers the required information and guidance. Our AV solutions are customized to meet your scaling needs, delivering cost-effective results with efficiency and accuracy, ultimately delivering safer rides and smoother operations.
