Bad Customer Service Stops Six in Ten Consumers Shopping With a Retailer Related Articles 21 Ways to Say "I'm Sorry" and Apologize to a Customer for Bad Service What Is Bad Customer Service and How Do You Spot It? How to Deliver Exceptional Customer Service Post-Pandemic 7 Examples of Bad Customer Service and How to Fix Them 278 Filed under - Contact Centre News, 8x8 Just two weeks after Debenhams announced it is closing 50 stores across the UK, research reveals that nearly six in ten (59%) consumers have stopped shopping with a retailer due to poor customer service in store, on the phone, or online. That’s according to 8×8, a cloud provider of voice, video, collaboration and contact centre solutions for over one million users worldwide. One call to resolve one query When asked about the bad service they had received, the most common issue consumers cited (78%) was being ‘passed around the houses’ or having to re-explain their problem multiple times to different people in order to get an answer. The majority have had to speak to three different people on average, with some saying they spoke to a staggering 12 different agents for just one query. Nearly half of customers (49%) also said that staff had been rude to them. Disjointed data Retailers struggling to join up their internal data is also impacting service levels. Over half (51%) of consumers said they are less likely to shop with a retailer if they can’t talk to the online customer service team about in-store purchases, or go into a physical store to ask about online orders. 95% also said that they found it frustrating when agents didn’t have any information about their previous calls or emails. Good service makes a difference When asked what they consider the most important elements of good customer service, having queries resolved quickly is the most important factor for retail customers (48%), followed by getting a human response (47%), and having one person being able to answer their query first time (44%). David Rowlands David Rowlands, Director, Customer Success, UK & EMEA, 8×8, said: “For UK retailers, every customer counts and in a tough year for the sector, this has never been more important. Yet if customer service isn’t up to scratch, customers are happy to vote with their feet and shop elsewhere.” “To help meet growing customer service expectations, whether online or in-store, staff need to have the right technology to hand. Cloud communications technology can empower agents with instant access to the right information, in one platform, and allow them to collaborate with the right experts internally, wherever they are, to give customers an experience that delights them – and also inspires loyalty.” 8×8’s research also revealed the UK’s top eight customer service frustrations: Being put on hold for a long time (86%) Automated responses or obviously scripted answers (85%) Customer service teams not having information about their previous calls or emails (83%) Customer service teams not caring (82%) Being told to go to a help section or FAQ instead of being helped on a call (77%) When I call a company for a specific query, but get asked to visit their website instead (76%) When staff try to sell them a product while they are still trying to get their problem solved (75%) Not being given rewards for being a loyal customer (64%) For more information about 8×8, visit www.8×8.com. Author: Rachael Trickey Published On: 22nd Nov 2018 - Last modified: 28th Nov 2018 Read more about - Contact Centre News, 8x8 Recommended Articles 21 Ways to Say "I'm Sorry" and Apologize to a Customer for Bad Service What Is Bad Customer Service and How Do You Spot It? How to Deliver Exceptional Customer Service Post-Pandemic 7 Examples of Bad Customer Service and How to Fix Them Related Reports Guide: Contact Center Buyer's Guide Report: 2030 Customer Experience Vision eBook: Embracing eXperience Communications as a Service (XCaaS) eBook: The Real Costs of Doing Nothing Contact Centre Reports, Surveys and White Papers Get the latest exciting call centre reports, specialist whitepapers and interesting case-studies. Choose the content that you want to receive. Contact Centre Reports, Surveys and White Papers Invites to Webinars & Events Weekly Newsletter