26% of Brits complain more now they can communicate using social media
It has been found that 26% of Britons are complaining more now that they can communicate with companies over social media, with 83% of those who do complain unhappy with the response received.
The 2012 Eptica Social Customer Service Study, which surveyed 2,000 consumers across the UK and France on their attitudes to using social media for customer service, found that Britons mainly complained about retailers (21%) and banks (19%) on social media.
Dee Roche, global marketing director at Eptica, said: “Customers are embracing social media for customer service – but the vast majority of companies are deaf to what they are saying.
“Our research uncovered a real desire by consumers to use the speed and immediacy of social media to interact with companies only to see their requests shockingly ignored. Not answering basic questions is essentially slamming the shop door in the face of potential customers. Social media provides a megaphone through which complaints aired by unhappy customers can quickly escalate. Companies need to put in place a proper strategy for social customer service, before consumers vote with their feet.”
It was found that 31% of French participants are complaining more through social media, with brands, mobile phone networks and retailers being the most complained about areas.