AI To Data Security – 12 Trends For The Customer Support Industry In 2025

Key Insights:

• AI plays a leading role in the development of CS technologies, predictive analytics, and proactive customer support.
• The human aspect of CS will become invaluable as consumers continue to favor real human interactions.
• CRM systems will be widely adopted and integrated into business apps, customer interactions, and predictive support.
• Data security is being brought front and center as consumer awareness of poor data practices hits the mainstream.
• CS roles will adapt to new trends, becoming a critical part of CX, marketing, sales, and product development.

Customer Service (CS) and support have underpinned the success of leading businesses in recent years. With new data and the introduction of powerful AI-based supports, the industry is developing at a rapid pace.

Gearing up for 2025, the CS industry is expected to revolutionize the way B2C relationships are formed, strengthened, and maintained.

Just what will these sweeping changes bring? Will an after hours call center be manned by AI service agents? Is my job in CS secure?

Let’s find out…

Today, we’ll explore the highlights of the CS industry in 2024, and 12 trends for the industry coming into 2025.

Before diving into our predictions for the coming year, let’s stroll down Memory Lane and recall the biggest changes in the CS industry in 2024.

During the past year, study after study proved the importance of customer retention over sales. According to SurveySparrow, the top five companies in each industry surveyed showed a customer retention rate of around 94%.

Customers dedicated to your brand are much more likely to make repeat purchases. Rather than the consistent churn of new customers, brands are trying to increase customer satisfaction to strengthen customer retention.

Gone are the days when brands could profit off the backs of the environment and underpaid labor. In 2024, brand politics are center-stage, as customers seek brands with ethics that align with their own.

Now, not only does the quality of your product need to meet expectations, but also your views on sustainability, LGBTQ+, and fair trade practices. Modern consumers are more than happy to trade loyalty to a company that better aligns with their lifestyle.

As AI technology has made leaps and bounds in 2024, CS has been quick to adopt a wide range of its abilities. Already, AI is being used for:

• Product pages, descriptions, etc.;
• Boilerplate customer support answers;
• Live chats powered by AI chatbots;
• Marketing materials for ad campaigns.

Fortunately, roles that involve complex, critical thinking are still being filled by CS professionals.

The public awareness around the use of private data is increasing swiftly. Most of all, consumers want their data out of the hands of data brokers and to be used for personalized product and service recommendations.

Zendesk’s “CX Trends of 2024” showed that around 60% of consumers think that businesses should use their data to offer a personalized service. While customer data remains crucial to CS, how this data is being used is coming into question.

Once we understand where we’ve been, we can start to grasp exactly where we’re going. Peering into the not-so-distant future, here are 12 trends expected to transform the customer service and support industry in 2025.

There is no question — Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. New advancements in generative AI chatbots have been voraciously adopted by smaller businesses. However, many CS leaders are still hesitant to invest in AI infrastructure.

Nevertheless, those who are incorporating AI in CS systems are already reaping the benefits. Here are just a few of the ways AI will inevitably impact CS:

• Human-AI collaboration: AI won’t replace the role of a CS agent but rather propel it. CS professionals working in tandem with AI will be faster, more efficient, and have deeper insights into their customers.
• Proactive CS: Predictive analytics will make it easier for CS professionals to address customer concerns before they appear. This can help to resolve many issues automatically, without human intervention.
• CS content creation: Employee onboarding, specialized training, and study materials will soon be primarily generated by AI. By analyzing past customer data, AI can develop business-specific training modules.

Regardless of advancements in technology, human connection will always be the driving force of good customer service. At the same time, technology is set to promote deeper connections between consumers and businesses rather than replace it.

As our civilization evolves, so does our view on customers and CS staff. A major trend in recent years has been a complete overhaul in the way CS representatives approach customer interaction. Gone are the days of the apathetic customer service stereotype — now we’re shifting towards uplifting and enlightening interactions instead.

Not only does this friendlier human-to-human interaction endorse customer retention, but also the retention of CS staff. With the addition of customer data, CS representatives are becoming more attentive, informed, and cheerful.

It’s normal that, over time, consumers get used to the luxuries afforded to them by the most competitive brands. Whether conscious or not, consumers naturally want their expectations met — the problem is, these expectations continue to grow.

Now more than ever, customers expect the following:

• Various payment options: Contactless, buy now – pay later, crypto and other payment forms are becoming “standard”.
• Fast, tracked shipping: Customers now expect CS to offer tracking numbers and updates on promptly shipped packages.
• Other pickup options: With the rise in the awareness of carbon produced by transport, consumers expect more eco-conscious delivery options.
• Social media/Whatsapp shopping: Increasingly, consumers want to browse and shop from centralized apps. Ensure you’re selling and engaging via social media and other marketplace apps.

Once considered separate elements of the customer journey, the lines between Customer Experience (CX) and CS are constantly blurring. In various companies, CS researchers are actually leading the charge in CX design.

By incorporating CS in the entire customer journey, you create a “wow factor” that can increase sales. Forbes found that 1 in 4 customers will pay 10% more for products and services when they know they’ll be receiving great customer service. Customers will return if they know their entire journey will be seamless.

Considering CS during the development of CX is the only way to ensure customers’ expectations are consistently met. As expectations change, CS departments will indicate the direction of future CX design.

Let’s say you’re at the grocery store picking up a couple of items. The lines for the manned registers are packed with full shopping carts. Are you going to wait in line or use the empty self-service checkout?

According to a Gartner study, 64% of customer service leaders are adopting self-service capabilities. This change has paved the way for an influx of self-service options throughout the CS industry. Not only does it save your staff time, but actually increases customer satisfaction.

In addition to self-service help desks, community-based help and predictive support are gaining traction, too. Primarily, consumers are demanding alternative forms of support that don’t involve sitting in hour-long queues.

Accessibility is already an issue at the forefront of CS and will only become more important as we head into 2025. Your CS should be available to all devices, disabilities, and lifestyle choices. This includes:

• Building your website and CS mobile-first;
• Implementation of voice technology (text-to-speech/speech-to-text);
• Multi-lingual support options;
• Support via live chat, email, or messenger;
• Transcripts for video-based support.

In the next years, inclusive access options will create loyal customers in those who need these features. However, failing to include these accessible features will tarnish your reputation, even with customers who don’t need them.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are utilized by tech-savvy CS teams all over the globe. 2025 will see the mass integration of CRM systems in many CS processes. A CRM offers CS professionals various metrics:

• An overview of business relationships with customers, clients, staff members, and suppliers.
• Calls made, past issues resolved, emails, messages, etc.
• Individual customer purchase history.
• In-progress tasks associated with the individual.

If you’re not already using a CRM to centralize all CS communications and documents, you’re lagging behind. CRMs will only become more vital to CS roles, being integrated into sales tools, business automation, predictive analytics, and workflows.

In the murky depths of the internet, cybercriminals of all kinds are targeting CS teams, pillaging them for their bounties of user data. As breach after breach has shown, CS is a prime target for cyber attacks, and your customer is almost always the victim.

In 2025, how companies deal with their cybersecurity will determine their overall success. Unfortunately for CS teams, effective cybersecurity is no easy feat. Industry-standard protections will include:

• Transparent data contracts with opt-out availabilities;
• Modern security practices, a.k.a. cyber hygiene;
• Mandatory antivirus, firewalls, and encryption (click here to learn more);
• Compliance with international data regulations;
• Secure cloud-based storage of customer data.

Heading into the future, companies can no longer get away with poor cybersecurity practices. Customers will be watching intently as their data security becomes a frontline modern issue.

Data shows that brand loyalty is becoming harder to secure every year. In fact, 57% of Gen Z Americans are less loyal to brands than pre-pandemic levels. With an obvious decline in brand loyalty, CS teams are changing their aim.

Rather than struggle to promote brand loyalty, companies are rather improving their existing brand relationships. This is done by:

• Giving customers the choice if they want to receive marketing emails;
• Not spamming those on their newsletter;
• Easy options to talk to a person instead of a chatbot;
• Offering quick, real-time support.

In 2025, CS teams will focus on turning their good customers into great customers. This in turn, will create a better brand reputation and relationship among already-loyal customers.

As the true importance of CS is beginning to sink in, companies see their CS department as a primary catalyst for sales. CS departments were previously considered as a cost center: a necessary department that only produces expenses.

Yet, as all current data shows, it’s clear that this belief was quite wrong. Instead, CS departments will be viewed as a profit center: a department that generates income via long-term growth.

This major shift in how CS is viewed will revolutionize the industry, placing it at the forefront of company growth. Professionals in the industry will now be judged on their growth potential, rather than cost-saving abilities.

With this change of perspective toward CS departments as a whole, the individual roles of CS professionals are about to change. As we roll into 2025, the short and long-term roles of CS staff will look different:

• AI will handle menial requests, leaving product professionals to focus on bigger customer issues.
• CS staffers will work hand-in-hand with technology like AI and CRM software.
• Increased emphasis on the social and empathetic skills of CS agents.
• Blended responsibilities in sales, product development, and CX departments.

What was once considered a dead-end job is quickly becoming highly sought-after by industry professionals. Soon, strategic customer interaction will be a popular focus among university graduates.

Adding to the desirability of CS roles is the easy ability to work remotely. Nowadays, working from home is the holy grail of office jobs, and CS roles fill the spot perfectly. Entire teams are becoming remote, with seasoned professionals being able to work at any time, from anywhere.

In many cases, new CS staff never need to enter an office, thanks to:

• Virtual training sessions that can fit hundreds of onboarding staff;
• Cloud-based CRM software and customer databases;
• Video support can be offered to customers on demand;
• 24/7 remote teams that work around the clock.

It’s only a matter of time before freelancers and remote workers from all over will be flocking to CS roles. Getting your foot in the door now can score you a role in a rapidly progressing industry.

One of the quickest-evolving industries in 2024 has been customer service and support. New technology and shifting public views have fueled an upheaval in the way businesses approach customer service and retention.

As we travel steadfastly into 2025, the customer service industry will look unrecognizable from what we know of the past years.

One question remains: will you be a part of the customer support revolution?