 |
By now you’ve surmised I’m big on customer service. I’m loyal to companies that provide the best service and I penalize those who treat me poorly. Many years ago, Walmart opened its first mega-store in my home town, called Hypermart. I nicknamed it “Hypertension” because my blood pressure would skyrocket during a visit to the store, thanks to the clueless and often rude employees, lack of shopping carts available inside and the dirty, overcrowded aisles. This place was so poorly laid out and staffed with such incompetent employees, that I couldn’t get out of there in less than two hours. I tolerated this for more shopping trips than I care to admit. Prices were cheap and this store was a quarter mile from my house.
Make it stop My friends thought I was crazy. But it turns out I’m not alone. The Strativity Group released its 2009 Customer Experience Consumer Study. The group surveyed 1,994 consumers this spring. More than 70 percent of consumers surveyed said they are willing to spend 10 percent or more with businesses if those companies “exceed their expectations.” More than one-third of consumers surveyed said they are willing to spend 25 percent or more if their expectations are exceeded. A handful of those surveyed said they'd continue to do business with a company despite bad customer service, but only if products or services were discounted. If you’re still trimming costs to help turn a profit, make sure you’re not making cuts that would result in an inferior customer experience.
|
Get curated news on YOUR industry.
Enter your email to receive our newsletters.Loading...
Explore the November 2009 Issue
Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.
