Social media complaints on the rise as £12bn lost through poor customer service according to research
Businesses are losing £12bn a year through poor customer services according to research carried out by cloud contract centre vendor NewVoiceMedia, with complaints through social media on the increase.
The survey, which saw the commissioning of research company Opinion Matters during a two-week period in March of 2,034 UK adults, found that customers were moving their business as a result of poor service, with 92 per cent switching their custom at least once in the last year to another business.
Half of those respondents also said that they being kept on hold or waiting in a queue put them off calling a business, which means that they have switched their businesses without consulting with their supplier about the problem first.
Complaints made through digital platforms such as social media were also found to have increased with almost a fifth (19 per cent) of respondents stating that they would post a review online, while 14 per cent would complain using social media if unhappy at the level of service they received.
Commented Jonathan Gale, CEO of NewVoiceMedia: “Customers have a stronger influence on a business’s success than ever before and it’s surprising how many organisations still aren’t getting it right. Customer experience is a key differentiator. By doing it well, organisations can drive the customer acquisition, retention and efficiency that make leading companies successful.”
Apparently the average spend by a customer is £472 before moving the business to a rival.
In April, cinema chain Cineworld was caught up in a Twitter conversation with an unhappy customer that led to questions over its service credentials.