The State of Customer Service

Maili Lavin-Bailey


We interviewed 1,000 people to find out why customer service really matters and what consumers really want from it.

Across the world, rising energy and fuel costs have triggered a rapid rise in inflation. These difficult economic conditions are already beginning to cause problems for businesses as well as their customers, and the situation shows no sign of easing.

With consumers facing significant financial pressures, it’s highly likely that people will become more selective about the businesses they buy goods and services from going forward. But this should not be seen as a race to the bottom with low prices placed above all else.

In fact, it is more important than ever that businesses are doing everything they can to set themselves apart from their competitors in the eyes of their customers. Indeed, the July 2022 UK Customer Service Index revealed that although six in 10 consumers believe low prices will become more influential when choosing where to shop and what to buy in the next two years, a third would still be prepared to pay more to guarantee good service. This year and beyond, every conversation that businesses have with their customers will really count. But what do consumers really want when it comes to customer service?

To find out how businesses can make sure every customer service conversation counts, we spoke to 1,000 people aged 16 and over about their experiences with, and attitudes towards, customer service, as well as their preferences and frustrations. Here are some of our key findings:

86% of consumers said their relationship with a brand has been negatively impacted by a poor customer service conversation.

Nearly a third of consumers have told friends or family to avoid a brand following a negative customer service conversation.

Nearly half of people would be happy to deal primarily with AI-powered customer service bots, provided the technology progresses sufficiently.

Want the full insights?

Download the report for free:

Download

In the full report, we discuss:

  • Why excellent customer service is so important to ongoing business success.
  • How different sectors are currently faring when it comes to their customer service offerings.
  • What makes a good customer service conversation according to the customers themselves.
  • Key considerations for maintaining high standards of customer service now and in the future.

Check out our latest insights