We recently tweeted a link to an article which said that according to new research 44% of customers in the UK are “less tolerant of poor customer service than they were three years ago”.
Customer complaints in perspective
We can all laugh at the outlandish ‘complaints’ that surface in summer’s silly season articles, and few companies could do much to smooth the ruffled feathers of customers bemoaning the lack of sea-view from their hotel in London, or the fact that while abroad the weather was just as good back home in the UK (28 of the most hilarious complaints from Brits abroad, June 2016).
But when they’re justified, businesses need to tackle complaints head-on and provide the most efficient service possible. Perhaps even more importantly they need to be seen to be doing so, and not least because, as the article UK consumers’ tolerance in customer service nose dives goes on to say that of the 2,000 consumers surveyed, 56% said that they would withdraw custom after just two bad experiences and 79% after three.
The frustration caused at the receiving end of poor service is something we can all relate to. Who hasn’t been passed from pillar to post, gone round the houses department-wise to often end up back where they started and having had to trot out the same story with each new person?
And sometimes it’s merely lack of the ability to provide good-sense service that’s the problem itself – and just as much source of frustration for the organisation as the customer.
Instant access to every necessary piece of relevant documentation will help, along with an audited trail recording each conversation.
What does a good customer service solution look like?
A good Customer Services solution works with an organisation’s CRM and line of business systems, providing document capture, process workflow and online file access for areas including customer onboarding, applications and requests, and general customer correspondence.
If there are complaints, these can be automatically highlighted and routed for prompt action, with individual responses logged and monitored – and through the provision of customer portals and eForms, some of the customer’s initial frustration can even be alleviated through simplifying the process of registering a complaint.
Of course, a Content Services solution is never going to mollify the sea bather complaining about salt in the water in the Gulf of Mexico, or sand on the beach bar floor, but then we all need a good laugh from time to time.
Sources:
https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2016/08/uk-consumers-tolerance-in-customer-service-nose-dives
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/21/28-of-the-most-hilarious-complaints-from-brits-abroad/
Customer Services
