New Research Finds Customer Expectations for Timely, Personalized Service Directly Impact Where They Shop Online
Survey of 1,000+ U.S. consumers draws important insights for eCommerce brands looking to win this upcoming holiday shopping season
Results from a new consumer survey highlights consumers’ rising expectations and the significance for brands to deliver efficient and empathetic customer support. The survey results, based on responses from 1,000 nationally dispersed US consumers and commissioned by Airkit.ai, generative AI customer service platform, underscores the primary reasons customer satisfaction has plummeted to a 17-year low.
“Brands are at a critical turning point. After massive growth throughout the pandemic, we are seeing a significant shift as consumer spending is tested by inflation and a looming recession. Brand loyalty and customer retention are vital for retail brands, and the recent research suggests that brands must listen – and act – to compete this holiday season,” commented Stephen Ehikian, Airkit.ai Co-Founder and CEO.
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Notable Insights from the Survey Include:
- Cost of a Bad Experience: 64% will not do business with a company after a poor customer service encounter, contrasting sharply with the 2% who said it’s unimportant.
- Personalization’s Power: 92% are more inclined to shop from brands offering real-time, tailored customer service, with custom coupon codes (40%), email promotions (49%), and word-of-mouth product recommendations (40%) being the most popular personalized offers.
- Frequency of Interaction: 76% of participants contacted customer service 1-3 times in the last year, with 24% reaching out 4+ times.
- Defining a Good Experience: 69% value quick and easy availability of a rep, while 76% emphasize swift issue resolution.
- Chatbot Interactions: 64% have used a customer service chatbot in the past year, appreciating benefits like instant responses, answer provision to simple queries, and ease of communication.
- Frustration Factors: Leading customer service pain points include long wait times (61%), repeated need to provide the same information (60%), and the absence of issue resolution (60%).
- Preferred Interaction Mediums: 71% of users opt for the phone, followed by email and text at 36% each, with mobile app and chatbots each preferred by 24%.
The new findings spotlight a golden opportunity for brands to rethink their customer service strategies, leaning on platforms like Airkit.ai. As the only native GPT-4-powered CX solution, Airkit.ai eCommerce promises retail brands faster service, heightened customer satisfaction, and reduced support costs. The surge in chatbot interactions and the recognition of their benefits, such as immediate responses (44%), further highlights the pivotal role of AI in reshaping customer service dynamics.
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