Member Article

Consumers tell business “You don’t care enough?

Long queues, incorrect orders, difficulty getting in touch with the right person, dumping products back on shelves when we don’t get help.

This is the bad side of customer service and it’s making us stressed, unhappy and angry.

These are the results of a new survey published to coincide with National Customer Service Week.

The organisers of the Customer at the Heart Awards asked consumers to provide an insight into how good and bad service is affecting our day to day lives. As well as how important we think we are to the businesses we spend our money with.

Three fifths of consumers believe customer service isn’t seen as being important enough but almost 90% of respondents believe customers should be at the heart of business, be it a bank, shop or supermarket.

Two fifths say they don’t think business cares enough about its customers and half want better training for staff.

The impact this is having on our national mood is huge. Almost half, 47% agreed with the statement that bad service makes them feel stressed and angry. Nearly 80% or four fifths said they get angry, particularly when it’s a company or business they spend a lot of money and energy with. 88% said good service makes them happy. Nearly a third, 32% said it makes their day feel like less of a chore.

The Customer at the Heart Awards were established by Insight with Passion in 2011 as part of their commitment to give a portion of their time and energy to community projects. Championing independent stores who offer great service it also dovetails with their business approach and advice to clients that to be a success a business needs to put their focus on the customer, instead of say shareholders. Kate Hardcastle is Founding Partner of Insight with Passion and retail expert.

“The survey results reveal what many of us suspected; we simply don’t feel the businesses we’re handing our money over to care enough about us. Good customer service makes the consumer feel valued. We want to feel our pound is worth the investment. If not we simply walk away. Businesses are struggling and Christmas is coming, a major time for retailers. If they engage with their customers and make their experience better than people will be happier. Who wants an unhappy customer?”

Read on for stories and anecdotes from survey respondents >>>

The bad?

“I recently went into a small shop that makes fitted blinds. I could barely get into the shop with my pram and the man working there didn’t even try to help me so I had to stand in the doorway to talk to him. I tried to explain what I wanted and he couldn’t have been less interested. He said if it wasn’t a Velux Window he “didn’t want to get involved”.

Where do I start? The bed company that “forgot” to load my order onto the lorry (I’d taken the day off work to wait for the delivery); another high end retailer, on the day my sofa was due to be delivered told me it had failed a fire safety test. I’d already disposed of my old sofa; the kitchen company who delivered kitchen cupboards with no doors. It’s so draining and time consuming. You never speak to the same person twice and you get told different things by different people. It can be really stressful and expensive, sitting on hold for 20 minutes”.

The good?

“At Christmas I left my proposed purchases on the shelf at a technology retailer and found retail heaven with their competitor. The staff approached in a friendly manner, they understood what I needed and found the cheapest solution and took my payment there and then without having to go to the till. It was bliss. They emailed afterwards saying they valued my custom”.

“Forbidden Planet in Liverpool. I visit once a week to buy my comics orders and within a few weeks they’d learnt my name. They know my order so know where it’s up to whenever I ask. I ask about what’s selling and what not because I’m interested and they make suggestions”.

There’s one shop in Halifax where I am always greeted with a big smile and a hello. It’s the same girl every time and she talks to my children, is very pleasant and always says goodbye. I feel really happy about how I’m treated. It doesn’t take much and I always go back because of how she is with the customers“.

The survey results:

I believe customers should be at the heart of business 87.9% agree

I believe customer service is not seen as being important enough by businesses 57.6& agree

I think money is an issue stopping business invest in customer service 21.2%

There should be more training in terms of customer service 48.5%

I think business doesn’t care enough about its customers 42.45 agree

Bad customer service makes me feel stressed and upset 47.1%

Bad customer service makes me feel angry, particularly if it’s one I use a lot 79.4%

Good customer service makes me happy 88.2%

Good customer service makes it feel like less of a chore 32.4%

I receive bad service most of the time 11.8%

I mostly get good service, but I wish it was more frequent 70.6%

38.2% say they speak to 10 or more businesses a week (including social media)

44% say they visit 5 – 10 businesses a week.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Richard Gomersall .