Insight: British overtake Americans in demanding good customer service
New research has discovered that the British expectation for good customer service has overtaken that of typically high demanding Americans.
The study conducted by Contact Engine and YouGov, found that nearly one in five of UK consumers would switch to another retailer, utility company or service provider after just one poor customer service experience in comparison to only 10% of US consumers.
Having polled more than 7,000 consumers worldwide, the study found that the British intolerance of poor service is at an all-time high, with 94% claiming that they were less tolerant than they were three years ago, making Britons the most demanding customers in the world.
Of the high demanding UK consumers, the research found that Scottish consumers and those in the South West of England were the most demanding, with 59% of Scottish consumers stating they would never use a company again after just two poor experiences compared to just 44% of American consumers.
Meanwhile, consumers in North West and the Northern Ireland proved to be the most loyal to companies after a poor experience, with one in ten saying they would be willing to give companies more than four chances.
UK consumers were found to be less tolerant of poor customer service than they were three years ago, making them more likely to switch service providers. Overall, only 6% of British shoppers considered themselves to be more tolerant than they were three years ago.
Mark Smith, chief executive of Contact Engine, said: “While historically, Britain was known for tolerant consumers and indifferent customer service, clearly this research is showing a considerable shift.
“US businesses pride themselves on strong customer service, and American consumer intolerance to bad service is notably high. Now that service in Britain has improved over the years, consumer expectations have also increased.”
