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...
In an ever more competitive business world, the customer experience that companies offer can be a key differentiator in winning and retaining consumer loyalty. But how can you quantify this in financial terms?
Earlier this year Eptica released the 2015 UK Multichannel Customer Experience Study. Covering 10 sectors, it researched the strength of the customer experience delivered by 100 leading brands across the web, email, Twitter and chat channels. Some of the key findings were that:On average UK companies could answer less than half (48%) of all questions as...
A research in 2014 from the Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG) has found that retail is the most complained-about sector in the country. According to the Index, consumer satisfaction with the overall retail sector declined significantly, dropping by 3.5%
Social media has significantly changed the customer service landscape, rebalancing the relationship between consumers and brands and providing a public forum for complaints to be made.
In a previous post I looked at the biggest frustrations amongst UK consumers when they dealt with brands through digital channels such as email or social media. Research carried out by Epticahighlighted that a lack of understanding and a failure to acknowledge their feelings were not just holding back engagement, but actively causing consumers to switch supplier.The E...
New research from Ombudsman Services has found that retail is the most complained-about sector in the UK. According to the organization’s Consumer Action Monitor there were 18.5 million complaints to retailers in 2014, 28% of the UK’s total, split evenly between online and in-store transactions. Retail was far ahead of telecoms (15%) and energy (11%), when it came to attracting co...
Companies face two key challenges when it comes to delivering customer service today. First, consumer expectations are continually rising, with every organization, no matter what sector they are in, judged against the standards of the best. This means simply outshining your peers is not enough – you need to compete with every company that a consumer might interact with in order to win their ...
The travel industry has been transformed by the rise of digital channels. Consumers now turn to the web first when researching and booking flights and holidays, using the reach of the internet to create tailor made itineraries, rather than visiting a high street travel agent. Sites such asTripAdvisor, along with social media, have also introduced a powerful way of sharing opinions about the s...
Retailers face growing market challenges. Despite the UK climbing out of recession, consumer confidence is still fragile and likely to remain so in the face of a number of uncertainties on the horizon; a potential hung parliament, eurozone worries and interest rate rises. It’s not surprising that shoppers are still price sensitive, and are happy to move to rivals.