In 2015 the US Census Bureau reported that Millennials outnumbered Baby Boomers for the first time, meaning they now make up a quarter of the population. Here’s the breakdown: 1 million Millennials (born 1982-2000), 66 million Generation X (born 1965-1982), 4 million Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964). We’re currently at a tipping point, as more and more Millennials...
20 years ago customer service existed in a world dominated by voice, hence the widespread reliance on call centers to manage customer service interactions. Things have obviously moved on since then as email, and more recently digital channels such as social media and chat, have become a regular part of managing customer service delivery. Call centers have now evolved into...
With so much money spent at this time of year, the Holiday period is crucial for retailers. In today’s competitive industry, a good Christmas can literally mean the difference between survival and going bankrupt. But getting it right isn’t easy – the internet has greatly increased competition, putting pressure on prices, while consumer demands are ever increasing. They ...
According to new academic research people check their smartphones 85 times a day and use them for a daily average of 5 hours. The study, from Nottingham Trent University, also found that much of the time most users don’t even realize they are doing it, with consumers spending twice as much time on their phones as they think.For many, their phone is the first thing they...
When it comes to customer service, consumers want the ability to contact you through their channel of choice and get the same positive experience - receiving fast, accurate and consistent answers - however they get in touch.Delivering consistency is therefore important to both customers and the organization itself. Inconsistency frustrates consumers as they cannot be sure that they’ve...
As we approach the holiday shopping season, retailers are getting ready for their busiest time of the year. So at Eptica we thought it would be a good time to look at how they perform when it comes to the customer experience. The 2015 Eptica Retail Customer Experience Study therefore evaluated 500 U.S. retailers, in 15 sectors, on their ability to provide answers to 10 questions...
Consumers are sending an increasing number of questions to companies, across more and more channels. This rising volume of customer interactions, covering everything from questions about products and post-sales queries, to complaints and positive feedback, threatens to overwhelm many organizations.The numbers are vast. Over 1 million people view tweets about customer service...
Recent research from charity Citizens Advice found major differences between how UK utilities handle customer service. The top performing utility (SSE) received just 47 complaints per 100,000 customers, yet another had 944 – over 20 times more. A further four companies had over 400 complaints per 100,000, within the three months between April and June 2015.
This week’s launch of the Apple iPhone 6S, iPad Pro and new Apple TV has focused attention on the consumer electronics market, and shows the importance of technology and gadgets to all our lives. The upcoming Christmas season is bound to see billions spent on the latest products, including smartphones, tablets and Ultra HD TVs.
In a sector where it can be difficult to differentiate between suppliers, delivering superior customer service is increasingly vital for utilities. And as a regulated industry, it is closely watched by government and consumer groups, facing large fines for poor customer service and misselling. Last year the UK government acted to simplify tariffs and make it easier for customers to switch...