According to a recent survey conducted in the US by Business 2 Community, a web marketing and telemarketing company, investing in great customer service does pay off.
How do they know? Using SurveyMonkey, they asked more than 400 Americans if a company’s reputation for excellent customer service affects whether or not they’ll buy from them. And it turns out a whopping 72% of customers say they are “very” or “extremely” likely to shop at a company or particular location because of their reputation for outstanding customer service.
They also discovered that 97% of customers are likely to tell their friends, family, or co-workers about a “very good” or “excellent” customer service experience. Whether it’s a quick email, a Facebook post, a call to a friend, or a good old-fashioned in-person chat, customers are ready to sing your praises when you deliver great customer service.
What do customers value most?
Great customer service is more attainable than you might think. In the past 30 days, 57% of people say they’ve had a “very good” or “excellent” customer service experience. And since you know they’ll champion your brand if they have a great customer service experience, there are plenty of opportunities to benefit from word-of-mouth.
But what is great customer service?
Here’s how customers ranked aspects of customer service, from most important to least:
- Ability of Customer Service Representative to resolve issue
- Timeliness of response/resolution
- Personality and friendliness of Customer Service Representative
- Quick and easy access to Customer Service
- Customer Service Representative communicates authentically (without “script-like” communication)
- Ability of Customer Service Representative to clearly understand the customer
- Receipt of an unexpected discount or freebie
- Customer Service representative provides additional information or service the customer needs but didn’t request
The ability of a Customer Service Representative to resolve a customer issue is number 1 at 71%. But it looks like it’s time to train up your team and sharpen their customer service skills. Because timeliness (43%), personality and friendliness of the Representative (43%), access to support (35%), and authentic communication (33%) also ranked highly.
Afraid you’ll have to give away half your products or services to make customers happy? Think again. Only 13% of respondents cite receiving an unexpected discount or freebie as one of the three biggest factors in making a customer service experience great.
So does great customer service really matter?
Since 72% of Americans (and it would be similar in Australia) are “very” or “extremely” like to shop at a company or particular location because of their reputation for strong customer service, investing in excellent customer service seems to make sense. If you give your customers an excellent customer service experience, they’re more likely to recommend your brand to others and come back.
After all that is what it is all about – more customers, spending more, more of the time!
Roger Simpson – CEO, The Retail Solution and Author of “The Retail Solution” With over 35 years’ industry experience, Roger Simpson is recognized as Australia’s #1 Authority on customer ROI in the retail industry and as a global expert on staff coaching, customer service and selling skills.
