A recent article in The Retail Bulletin threw up some interesting statistics (produced by the Consumer Forum) around customer service. It is particularly timely as the launch of the Shutl service with our first retailer is now imminent and we are working through our own plans for our customer service operation. Some good food for thought…
What is Good Customer Service?
• Nearly two-thirds (60.9%) of respondents said that a personal response to their issue was most important, while 44.3% cited speed of response as an important factor.
• The majority of respondents (57.6%) felt that the best customer service is delivered in face to face situations, while 56.9% said that they receive the worst customer service over the phone.
What drives you to make a complaint?
• Nearly a third (31.7%) of respondents answered ‘rude staff’.
So is delivering great customer service worth the hassle?
• When asked whether a good customer service experience would increase their loyalty to a brand 98.4% of respondents said ‘yes’.
• 97.7% of respondents said that experiencing bad customer service would compel them to take their business elsewhere.
Can the internet deliver innovations in customer service?
• Consumers surveyed remain split down the middle when it comes to the levels of customer service offered online. 49% of respondents have seen an improvement in customer service since the introduction of the internet whilst 51% have experienced a decline.
• Yet surprisingly, nearly a third (31.5%) voted online customer service as being the best, twice as many as those who cited over the phone offerings (15.5%).
• When asked to give an example of excellent customer service online brands Amazon and Ebay were frequently referenced, with John Lewis and Marks & Spencer regularly cited as popular high-street retail brands.
So – my key takeaways are as follows:
1. Does customer good customer service matter? A resounding yes. It’s an integral part of your brand value and is critical in building customer loyalty. If your customers do not feel valued, then they are clearly prepared to vote with their feet – and, more importantly, they will tell other people to do the same. There’s no news like bad news!
2. Problem resolution has to be personal and friendly. For those of us operating in the online world, there is little opportunity to meet with your customer face-to-face, however that does not mean that online businesses are unable to provide the best levels of customer service (despite what the 57.6% of people surveyed say above!). It simply means that your customer needs to be at the very heart of everything do. Just see the references to Amazon and eBay as excellent customer service brands. Shutl is taking notes…
