New research reveals that US consumers are twice as likely to share a bad customer service experience than those in the UK; whereas Brits are more inclined to recommend a company following a positive interaction.
Following an inadequate experience, half (49%) of US consumers will tell friends and colleagues not to use the business (27% UK); and thanks to social media, forums and review channels, the modern consumer has a convenient public platform at their fingertips to spread negative sentiment about a business online.
NewVoiceMedia, the leading provider of cloud contact centre solutions, found that nearly 60 percent (59.3%) of US 25-34 year-olds seek revenge online, compared with 39 percent of their UK counterparts.
Americans are also twice as likely to choose social media as the most effective way of resolving a problem (14% vs 7% UK). For Gen Y and millennials (those aged 16 to 34), this figure soared to 28 percent, with Facebook proving to be the favoured social network for interacting with businesses.
One respondent explained: “The risk of getting other people’s attention will cause the service providers to act quickly”. In both regions, women are more patient than men when it comes to bad interactions, yet much more likely to head online to complain about a company (36% US & 19% UK).
However, the significance consumers place on excellent service presents opportunities as well as threats, as organisations can boost their business by getting it right. 71 percent of UK consumers will recommend a company following a positive experience (69% in the US) and 72 percent of overall respondents said that good service had a considerable influence on their loyalty. US customers are more likely to spend more money with the business as a result (42% vs 34% UK).
It is even possible to turn complainants into advocates by prioritising the service they receive through other channels. NewVoiceMedia offers social media routing through its cloud contact centre solution ContactWorld which integrates with salesforce.com and enables agents to identify callers with specific social media data before their call is answered and prioritise accordingly.
Jonathan Gale, CEO at NewVoiceMedia, comments, “While it is damaging to a brand when customers tell friends and family if they are dissatisfied with service they’ve received, it’s not nearly as powerful and immediate as those who take their complaints online; particularly as consumers are increasingly turning online to read about others’ experiences before choosing a product or supplier. Over the next few years we expect to see these statistics soar as the younger generation matures.
“Customers want personalised and engaging experiences every time, through every channel. Great customer experience is the critical differentiator and by doing it well, organisations can drive the customer acquisition, retention and efficiency that make leading companies successful”.
For further information about NewVoiceMedia and to download the research paper, visit www.newvoicemedia.com.