Poor Customer Experience Will Drive 74% of Consumers to Change Supplier

October 03, 2013

Delivering a poor customer experience can have a significant impact on a brand or organisation, according to new research* from Mitel® (Nasdaq:MITL) (TSX:MNW), which reveals the important role of contact centres in driving customer loyalty and retention. Almost three quarters (74%) of UK adults would change supplier based on a poor experience with the contact centre, with 46% of these consumers confirming they have already switched for this reason.

The survey of 2,000 UK adults, carried out in September 2013, reveals that personal touch is critical to delivering a positive experience, followed by fast and effective service. The most important factor for consumers when contacting a brand or company is being able to interact with a real person, not an automated service (54%), followed by getting a quick response (49%) and having a query resolved immediately (44%).

The full research, presents a variety of insights into how consumers want to interact with brands in today's multichannel world and why, and uncovers the pet hates that are driving dissatisfaction.

Email is by far the most popular channel at this time, used by 72%. Less established communication methods like live chat and social media are currently used by 10% of UK adults, although the signs are that these internet-based channels will grow in importance, with one in five adults under 35 already using Facebook or Twitter to contact brands.

The research also revealed the critical role of the telephone in the customer service communications mix and in driving customer satisfaction. It is currently used by 49% of consumers when they contact companies, but is the number one channel of choice for voicing frustration.

Premium rate numbers, getting cut off mid-call, being left on hold and automated telephone services all rank in the top five frustrations of UK consumers when contacting a brand or service, via any channel. In contrast, only 13% of survey respondents ranked not receiving a response to an email in their top five pet hates.

Todd Simons, Director Solutions Marketing, Mitel said: "We live in a world where consumers are in charge and switching your supplier is routine and easily achievable. Companies need to work hard to both retain customers and attract new ones. These insights into customer behaviour and preferences give companies a chance to examine their own services and make necessary changes. Customer service teams need solutions that will empower them to deliver high levels of service across every channel, and our research shows that getting this right over the telephone can have an impact on a company's bottom line."

*An online survey was carried out with 2,009 UK adults aged 18 years and above on 20thSeptember 2013, by Vision Critical. For full survey results please contact Mitel using the details below.

About Mitel

A global market leader in business communications powering more than two billion business connections, Mitel helps businesses and service providers connect, collaborate and provide innovative services to their customers. Our innovation and communications experts serve business users in more than 100 countries. For more information, go to www.mitel.com and follow us on Twitter @Mitel.

Mitel is the registered trademark of Mitel Networks Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact Information

Mitel Public Relations

Email: [email protected]

Ready to talk to sales? Contact us.
Find a Partner 61 2 9023 9500 Email Us