Customer service is changing – companies need to adapt

Today, up to half of all customer interactions take place outside traditional business hours. Companies that fail to adapt risk more than inefficiency – they risk losing both customers and trust.
“Customers expect support when the need arises, not when your business is open,” says Pernilla Almström, CEO of coeo in Sweden and Finland.

In a world where many people struggle to find time to deal with personal matters during the day, more and more customers are turning to customer service in the evenings and at night. At the same time, expectations for fast, simple and reliable support continue to grow.

For coeo, customer service is about making it as easy as possible for customers to get the help they need – regardless of the time, channel or situation.

“Our research shows that receiving a debt collection claim can trigger strong emotions. If a customer is lying awake at night worrying about a debt collection claim, support needs to be available right away. Getting answers when the question arises can make a significant difference,” says Pernilla Almström.

coeo has adapted to this new reality with an AI agent that assists customers around the clock in more than 50 languages. This allows customers to manage their cases at their own pace – without queues, waiting times or pressure.

The result is a better customer experience, particularly in sensitive situations.

“Many customers prefer handling their case independently. Today, around 90 percent of our payment plans are set up digitally, without any human interaction,” says Pernilla Almström.

However, coeo’s customer service strategy is not about replacing people. It is about giving customers a choice.

According to Pernilla Almström, AI and human agents serve different purposes.

“AI delivers availability and speed, while people provide understanding, flexibility and empathy where it matters most. Our role is to make it easy for customers to choose how they want to receive support – whether through chat, self-service or personal contact,” she says.

Companies that continue to build their customer service around office hours risk creating unnecessary bottlenecks and a worse customer experience.

“The winners of the future will be the companies that can adapt to this new reality. Customer service is no longer about opening hours – it is about being available when customers need support. Customer service is no longer just a function; it is an experience. And that experience must be built around the customer's needs,” concludes Pernilla Almström.

Originally published in Swedish by Breakit.