Too often, customer service feels like an obstacle rather than a solution.
Customers are forced through automated menus, repeat information, and struggle to get the help they need, and as a result many customer service experiences feel rigid and impersonal.
To find what contact centres can do, we asked Alex Mead, to explain the EPIC framework in customer service.
Video: What is EPIC Customer Service?
Watch the video below to hear Alex explain what EPIC stands for in customer service:
With thanks to Alex Mead, for contributing to this video.
What Is EPIC Customer Service?
EPIC customer service is a customer experience approach that ensures interactions are seamless, relevant, and genuinely helpful. It is built on four key principles:
- Easy: Customers should receive quick, straightforward solutions without unnecessary steps.
- Personalised: Businesses should use available customer data to tailor responses and avoid asking for information they already have.
- Intuitive: Services should anticipate customer needs based on real-time context and past interactions.
- Contextual: Every customer situation is different, and responses should adapt accordingly rather than following rigid, one-size-fits-all processes.
“So great customer experience should be easy, personalized, intuitive, and contextual. I used to think you need all four, but I think they’re easy because they’re personalized, intuitive and contextual. But the one that’s missing without doubt is context.”
Why Context Is the Most Important
Many businesses guide customers through rigid processes that don’t consider the details of their situation, as Alex explains:
“If you think about it, most business’s brands force customers down the same linear path. So you have a chatbot, or you send an email, or you send a message, or you phone a call centre queue and hit an IVR.
If it’s about a new booking press one, if it’s about a delayed flight press two, etc. if you’re blue, silver, gold. And so you’ll go in the queue based on the type of issue you have and the type of customer you are.
But if you think about it, the flight I was on was late, so I’m going to miss my connection. And the connection I’m taking is for my daughter’s wedding where I need to be walking her down the aisle so I can’t miss the next flight.
Compared to the businessman, my flight’s late, I may not make that connection, what other options do you have for me? The context is hugely different, isn’t it?”
When businesses rely on fixed menus and generic responses, they fail to acknowledge the urgency or importance of a customer’s request.
Instead of treating all queries the same, companies should recognise key differences and prioritise accordingly, as Alex continues:
“Almost every human situation is different, but companies don’t allow context in their journeys. So what we need to get to is a place where, and it really does need to be a natural language interface I think, where the ChatGPT4, all this stuff could really help.”
How to Implement EPIC Customer Service
To bring EPIC customer service into practice, businesses need to:
Prioritise Contextual Awareness
Use analytics to understand the customer’s situation in real-time and provide solutions that reflect their urgency and needs.
“If a customer says, “Hey, I’ve just missed my flight, I may miss my connecting flight. I really need to be there because I need to walk my daughter down the aisle. “
Somehow we need to pick that up with analytics, and think right, that’s different to the businessman’s “what options have you got for the next connecting flight to New York? I’ll sit in the lounge and drink champagne for the next 4 hours.”
But no company thinks that. That’s why context is the most important aspect. But if you think about why is it easy?
Because when you’re a customer in that situation you want to get a solution that serves you, rather than an answer.
And even a lot of the AI chatbot engines say okay you can go to our website for your new flight options. What, you’re sending me to a website? I’ve told you what my issue is. If it’s low context then I’ll expect you to give me something not amazing.”
Leverage Personalisation
Avoid making customers repeat information the company already holds, such as booking details or account history.
“If I’ve told you the context for me is really huge, then I want you to treat that differently. And then if you think about personalization, you’ll be asked what flight are you on? Which airport did you take off at? What?
You know all of these things about me. Remember this thing called a passport.
And when I made the booking, you know my age, you know my sex, you know everything about me. Probably a lot more than you will reveal.
But you make me answer these questions that you should already know. And even I’ve seen, okay what time did your flight land? You don’t know? You’re the airline. So personalizing it is important.”
Enhance Intuition in Service Design
Anticipate potential issues and proactively offer solutions without requiring the customer to explain their problem in full.
“And then that’s where intuitive comes in. If a customer starts to reach out imagine, Oh my flight has been delayed by 2 hours.
I’m either on the plane using the onboard Wi-Fi during a chat or I’m phoning you, maybe as I’ve just landed or about to board, intuition would say, we can see that customer’s flight is going to take off 2 hours late and they may miss that connection.
So let’s assume that’s why they’re contacting us and give them something amazing. Okay, Alex, we’re really sorry, you won’t make that flight, here’s your options for the next flight, press here to confirm.
And think of those principles for every interaction, we don’t experience them, they don’t happen, do they?”
Simplify the Experience
Ensure that contacting support leads directly to a solution, rather than sending customers to another platform or requiring unnecessary steps.
For customer service to be truly EPIC, every interaction should feel natural, responsive, and relevant.
“That’s why I say customer service is just getting worse because that sounds like a pie-in-the-sky vision and it’s actually not that complicated to deliver, but I don’t see any companies treating me that way personally.”
By focusing on context, businesses can move beyond rigid processes and create meaningful, effective customer experiences.
The Role of Technology in Delivering EPIC Customer Service
Technology plays a crucial role in making customer service Easy, Personalised, Intuitive, and Contextual. AI-driven tools, natural language processing, and real-time data analysis can help businesses provide better support by understanding customer needs more effectively.
AI and Automation
Chatbots and virtual assistants can streamline interactions, but only when they are designed with context in mind. Rather than forcing customers down a pre-set path, AI should adapt responses based on individual needs.
Real-Time Analytics
Companies can use customer data to predict common issues and proactively provide solutions.
Seamless Integration
Customer service should be connected across channels so that agents have full visibility of customer history, reducing repetition and frustration.
When used correctly, technology enhances customer interactions rather than replacing the human touch. The key is ensuring that automated solutions support the EPIC framework rather than limiting it.
If you are looking for more great insights from the experts, check out these videos next:
Author: Alex Mead
Reviewed by: Robyn Coppell
Published On: 16th May 2023 - Last modified: 29th Apr 2025
Read more about - Video, Alex Mead, Customer Service, CX, Videos
