We all know it’s better and cheaper to retain a customer than to find a new one. This is the foundation of every loyalty and rewards programme out there. Why is it that companies are willing to give bad customer service? One of the biggest loyalty drivers is still providing good customer service, and it’s one of the cheapest ways to keep customers. Get it wrong however, and you will see one of the fastest species on the planet… an unhappy customer. Here are some interesting statistics:
- 89% of online shoppers have stopped buying from an online shop after they experienced poor customer service
- 70% of dissatisfied customers will continue to buy from an online shop if the complaint is resolved in their favour
- 59% of Americans turn to social media to get queries resolved as they believe it makes it easier
- 73% shoppers say live chat is the best customer service channel, followed by email at 61% and phone with a mere 44%
- Positive customer experiences will cause up to 77% of customers to be willing to recommending a business to a friend
- 72% of companies has made improving their customer experience their top priority
(Stats by Status Labs, 2018 / Lyfe Marketing, 2018 / EConsultancy 2015 / Temkin Group 2017 / Forrester, 2018)
One can only confidently conclude that not all companies have the same expertise and budgets to follow the latest disruptions in the market or stay on par with technology, marketing or any other type of trend. However, the one aspect most companies can afford, is to be customer-centric. Putting the customer first will always be on trend, and it will never get old. It’s probably the cheapest strategy to implement, and the most expensive when you ignore it.
Cassie van Wyk is the main author of this blog and has years of experience in the field of channel marketing and e-commerce respectively. He has a passion for writing and sharing knowledge, and does a lot of research in order to bring factual information to all the blog visitors. Feel free to reach out at any time!