Proactive customer service calls – Yes or No!

Our recent LinkedIn poll results on the effectiveness of proactive outbound service calls align with several trends in the broader UK customer service landscape.

The split in responses—between customers appreciating the calls, finding them intrusive, or considering their reaction dependent on the approach—reflects the mixed attitudes found across the UK customer base.

• Appreciation of Extra Care (43%): This group aligns with the trend of customers valuing proactive and personalised support. They appreciate efforts that demonstrate a company's commitment to their experience, particularly when those efforts are perceived as relevant and personalised.
• Intrusiveness Concerns (14%): This smaller group reflects the growing sentiment among customers who may find outbound calls intrusive, especially if they feel the call interrupts their daily life or does not offer immediate value. This attitude aligns with the broader trend towards self-service and digital engagement, where many customers prefer to resolve issues at their convenience, without direct human intervention.
• Depends on the Approach (43%): This group result suggests that the effectiveness of outbound calls depends largely on their execution. This response mirrors the UK trend towards nuanced, context-aware customer engagement strategies. A well-timed, relevant, and personalised call is more likely to be welcomed than a generic or poorly timed one.

Our findings really start to demonstrate the ever-increasing complexities surrounding customer service today – the need to manage customer demands has never been so finely balanced.? So, whilst we advocate the use of voice calls to maintain strong customer relationships, we’d concur that the timing and nature of those calls is critical to avoid perceived intrusion amongst customers.?

Here’s why….

Increasing Use of AI and Self-Service Options In the UK, businesses are increasingly incorporating AI-driven tools and self-service options, such as chatbots, virtual agents, and automated voice systems, into their customer service strategies. This trend is driven by a growing preference among customers for self-service options over traditional channels like phone calls. Not surprisingly there’s a growing trend that customers today prefer resolving issues themselves through digital channels, such as chatbots or online FAQs, rather than engaging in a phone call with a service representative. This shift suggests that while some customers might appreciate the personal touch of a phone call, many might find it intrusive or unnecessary, especially if the same service can be accessed more conveniently online.

Omnichannel Communication The growing adoption of omnichannel communication strategies also reflects changing customer preferences. UK companies are increasingly adopting platforms that integrate various customer touchpoints—such as phone, email, social media, and in-app messaging (as highlighted in one of our previous polls)—into a seamless service experience. This trend reflects a response to customer demand for consistency and flexibility across multiple channels. In this context, while some customers still value proactive phone calls, others might prefer different modes of communication. The alignment of our poll results with this trend suggests that customer response to outbound calls largely depends on the customer’s preferred communication channel.

Proactive Customer Support Becoming the Norm There is a clear trend towards proactive customer support, where businesses anticipate customer needs and reach out before issues arise. This trend is partly driven by heightened customer expectations and advancements in technology, particularly AI. Proactive support is viewed positively because it demonstrates a commitment to customer care and satisfaction. However, success heavily depends on how these efforts are executed. Customers appreciate proactive outreach when it is relevant, timely, and personalised but may perceive it as intrusive if it appears generic or irrelevant. This nuanced approach aligns with our findings, where the reaction to proactive calls was divided, depending on the nature of the call.

Emotional Intelligence and Personalisation Personalisation continues to be a critical factor in customer service. Companies are increasingly using data-driven insights to create highly personalised customer interactions. Emotional intelligence, where human agents exhibit empathy and understanding, is also critical. Even in automated interactions, AI tools are being designed to replicate these human-like traits to some extent.

Our poll result, which shows a split between appreciating extra care and finding calls intrusive, underscores the importance of understanding the customer's context and preferences before initiating contact. Customers are more likely to respond positively to outreach that feels personalised and empathetic rather than scripted and impersonal.?

Take mobile phone providers as a good example of the need for balance – when I sign up for a 2 year contract it’s rare that I receive any form of personalised follow-up apart from generic marketing and service messages during the contract term.? Yet 3 months prior to contract end I start to see regular deals and offers in my inbox designed to tempt me to sign up for another contract term.? I even start to receive direct calls and text messages designed to tempt me even further.?

In one sense this is good practice however, with the lack of personal interaction in the preceding months, I regard the sudden interest in my mobile needs with a degree of scepticism that they just want to sell me more stuff.

Privacy and Security Concerns The rise of digital channels has also brought increased concerns about data privacy and security. Many UK consumers are wary of how their data is collected and used, particularly in unsolicited outreach. This concern influences how customers perceive outbound calls, especially if they are not expecting them. Businesses need to be transparent about why they are contacting customers and ensure that their outreach complies with data protection regulations, such as GDPR. This trend might explain why a portion of our respondents found outbound calls potentially intrusive

Our Recommendations

Leverage AI and Data for Personalisation: Use AI and customer data to ensure that outbound calls are highly targeted and relevant. Understanding customer preferences, past behaviours, and needs can help tailor the approach, making the call feel more like a personalised service rather than an interruption e.g. “We’ve noticed that you’re purchasing more of our ABC product lately and wanted to let you know that we currently have a special offer this month that would <save you XYZ / increase your 123> if you were to place an order today”.?

Offer Multichannel Options: Provide customers with a choice of how they would like to be contacted. Some customers may prefer an email, SMS, or in-app message over a phone call. An omnichannel strategy can help you reach customers in the way they are most comfortable with.

Be Transparent and Respectful of Privacy: Clearly communicate the purpose of the call and respect customer privacy. This can help mitigate any concerns about intrusiveness and build trust with our audience.

Balance Human Touch with Automation: While AI can handle routine inquiries efficiently, maintaining a balance between automation and human empathy is essential. Complex issues or those requiring emotional intelligence should be handled by human agents, while simpler queries could be routed to AI-driven solutions.

Monitor and Adjust Based on Feedback: Continuously gather feedback from customers on their preferred methods of communication and adjust strategies accordingly. Use this data to refine our approach, ensuring it remains aligned with customer expectations and industry trends.

So, to answer the original question; Proactive service calls – Yes or No?, we still recommend that phone/voice contact is hugely beneficial as part of a blended proactive service approach.?

However, whilst there is a notable preference for personalised and thoughtful engagement, there is also a significant demand for more flexible and less intrusive methods of communication, reflecting the broader move towards digital and omnichannel strategies in customer service.? The world is changing fast and we need to adapt quickly if we’re to exceed our customer expectations and earn their loyalty.

For more top tips and ideas we invite you to join our FREE 30 minute training video designed to ensure you and your teams continue to deliver remarkable customer service. Just click on the link in the comments below.

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