Businesses and consumers have a very different relationship than they did a few decades ago. Back then, what mattered most to customers was low prices and high quality. Advertisements were more product-oriented, focusing on the tangible benefits of the product and how high quality correlated with a better brand.
Nowadays, many advertisements are becoming consumer-oriented, focusing on the positive experiences that will result from a customer’s use of the product. This is due to the increasing emphasis on customer experience.
Download Now: New Research on the State of Customer Service in 2019
While customers still care about price and quality of products, a new factor in choosing between competing brands is the additional value of customer service. Customers would rather invest more in a brand that focuses on their needs and constantly provides value beyond the initial purchase.
There are many ways to make your brand more customer-focused. Consider the following statistics on customer service to help you brainstorm new strategies for strengthening your customer service team.
31 Customer Service Stats to Know in 2019
The Importance of High-Quality Customer Service
1. 70% of the customer’s journey is based on how the customer feels they are being treated. (McKinsey)
2. 90% of Americans use customer service as a factor in deciding whether or not to do business with a company. (American Express)
3. Investing in new customers is between 5 and 25 times more expensive than retaining existing ones. (Harvard Business Review)
4. 90% of customers rate an “immediate” response as important or very important when they have a customer service question. 60% of customers define “immediate” as 10 minutes or less. (HubSpot Research)
The Power of Great Customer Service
5. 73% of customers fall in love with a brand and remain loyal because of friendly customer service reps. (RightNow)
6. 68% of customers said the service rep was key to a recent positive service experience. 62% said that this was also due in part to the rep’s knowledge or resourcefulness. (American Express)
7. Consumers are willing to spend 17% more on a company that has outstanding customer service. (American Express)
8. 77% of customers would recommend a brand to a friend after having a single positive experience. (Temkin Group)
9. 93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases with companies who offer excellent customer service. (HubSpot Research)
The Cost of Poor Customer Service
10. The #1 reason customers switch to a new brand is feeling unappreciated. (New Voice Media)
11. $1.6 trillion is lost by American companies due to customers experiencing poor customer service and switching to competitors. (Accenture)
12. It takes a customer 12 positive experiences to redeem one unresolved negative experience. (“Understanding Customers”)
13. 50% of customers have left a brand for a competitor who was able to stay more relevant and better satisfy their needs. (InMoment)
The Best Channels for Customer Service
14. 54% of customers used email for customer service last year, making it the most used digital channel for customer service. (Forrester)
15. 62% of customers want to communicate with companies via email for customer service. 48% want to use the phone, 42% live chat, and 36% “Contact Us” forms.” (HubSpot Research)
16. Customers prefer knowledge bases over all other self-service channels. (Forrester)
17. 79% of American internet users are on Facebook, making it the most popular social media platform (Lyfe Marketing)
The Frustrations Customers Face
18. 33% of customers are most frustrated by having to wait on hold. 33% are most frustrated by having to repeat themselves to multiple support reps (HubSpot Research).
19. 84% of customers said their expectations weren’t exceeded in their last customer service experience. (Harvard Business Review)
20. 67% of customers hang up the phone in frustration when they can’t reach a customer service representative. (American Express)
21. 50% of shoppers believe their feedback doesn’t go to anyone who can actually act on it. (Qualtrics)
22. 40% of customers want customer service reps to take care of their needs faster. (American Express)
Sharing Customer Service Experiences
23. Happy American customers will share their positive experiences with about 11 people. (American Express)
24. Angry American customers will share their negative experiences with about 15 people. (American Express)
25. 35% of American customers post negative comments about companies on social media, but 53% post positive comments. (American Express).
26. Only 1 in 26 customers will tell a business about their negative experience. The rest will simply leave according to customer service facts. (“CX for Executives”)
The Business Opportunity of Customer Service
27. 80% of American customers are satisfied with the customer service currently provided by their businesses (American Express).
28. 64% of customers believe customer experience is more important than price when deciding to make a purchase with a brand. (Gartner)
29. Increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by between 25% and 95%. (Bain and Company)
30. Businesses can grow revenues between 4% and 8% above their market when they prioritize better customer service experiences. (Bain & Company)
31. 70% of formerly dissatisfied customers whose problems are resolved by customer service are willing to shop with the brand again. (“Understanding Consumers”)
For more reasons to invest in your customer service team, read about the importance of customer service.
Reference; https://blog.hubspot.com/service