Bad Customer Service Threatens $3.7 Trillion Annually as Frontline Workers Reach a Breaking Point
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New research from the XM Institute based on World Bank data shows consumers reduce or stop spending with a brand over half the time following a negative experience
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Inflation, low morale among frontline workers, and a reluctance of consumers to give feedback contribute to a 19% increase in lost revenue
New research from the Qualtrics XM Institute finds that globally, organizations are putting $3.7 trillion annually at risk due to bad customer experiences, an increase of approximately $600 billion (19%) compared to projections from last year.
Bad customer experiences lead directly to lost revenue, and just one negative interaction can result in losing a customer and their potential spending in the future. Consumers say they have very negative experiences with organizations 14% of the time across 20 different industries including fast food, parcel delivery services, auto dealers, and airlines. And after a negative experience, consumers reduce or stop spending with that brand more than half the time (51% of negative experiences). That figure jumps to over 60% for parcel delivery providers and fast food restaurants where the cost of switching is very low.
Poor customer service comes with growing costs for businesses while consumer trust in businesses in the US is at its lowest point since 2016, outside of the 2020 pandemic-led crash. While consumers report slightly fewer negative experiences (-2.2 % points) compared to a year ago, increases in consumer spending mean there is more revenue at risk due to bad experiences. The world’s total household consumption expenditure jumped by over $US 7.7 trillion compared to last year while a greater share of poor interactions led to reduced spending – an increase of 1.6 points over last year.
“The price tag on delivering a bad customer experience has surged, even as many industries managed to reduce the frequency of bad experiences in 2023,” said Bruce Temkin, head of Qualtrics XM Institute. “While many industries reduced the frequency of their bad customer experiences, the price tag associated with those mistakes has surged,” “In 2024, companies need to be more careful than ever not to mistreat customers, or they will dig themselves a long-term hole as customers head to their competitors.”
Human experiences will continue to be a priority for companies but AI can provide support
Research from Qualtrics XM Institute has shown that investing in frontline employees pays off with an improved customer experience. However, Qualtrics found that frontline workers, such as cashiers, bank tellers or restaurant servers have the worst morale compared to other types of employees and they feel a lack of support to effectively do their job. Only 1/3 of frontline employees who have been with a company for less than 6 months intend to stay more than three years.
More businesses with frontline workforces are exploring how AI can help reduce the burden on workers and increase productivity. The most common way employees say AI can help is by automating routine tasks so they can focus on more complex work.
As organizations incorporate AI into customer interactions, they must address consumers’ fear of losing the human connection. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of consumers are comfortable using a chatbot for simple, transactional activities like checking the status of an order. However, they are averse to using it when the stakes are high—for example, 81% of consumers want to speak with a human being for advice on a medical issue.
“Done well, AI can make frontline workers more effective and give customers faster access to the things they need,” said Temkin. “However, with consumer trust hitting record low levels and fears of job loss among employees, organizations must take measured steps in incorporating AI into their business.”
Many bad experiences go unnoticed as customers provide less direct feedback
Companies are also grappling with a growing reluctance among consumers to give direct feedback such as survey responses. Only a third of consumers give direct feedback every time they have a bad experience with a company, but they are providing feedback in less direct ways, such as in call center conversations, online chat, product reviews and social media posts. AI can analyze these unstructured forms of feedback and help companies build a richer understanding of what customers want and expect by tuning into both direct and indirect sources of feedback.
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