Just because customers stick around may not mean they’re happy. In fact, you may deal with more upset customers than ever. Here’s why.
Customer satisfaction is down across the board. Yet, the number of customers who leave companies because of bad service has declined for the first time in six years, according to The Accenture Annual Consumer Behavior Study.
Two-thirds of customers say they’ve switched companies in the last year because of a poor customer service experience, the study found. That’s down from 69% the previous year.
But watch out, call center pros: Just because customers aren’t leaving doesn’t mean they’re happy. Instead, they might get upset over a bad experience but won’t switch because there are fewer competitors or they find it a hassle to make the change. Then they’ll come back to you with a chip on their shoulders.
Now’s the time to give customers better reasons to stay with you. Try one of these tools:
- Tell them you want their loyalty. Then ask what you can do to gain it. Gather data on their answers and work together to provide the top five customer “wants.”
- Make this experience tops. If you don’t talk to a regular group of customers, ask people who call, “Is this your first time calling?” If they say yes, roll out the red carpet. If no, say, “Welcome back, Mr. Customer. I want to top your last experience with us. What can I do for you today?”
