Leading customer service pain points for online shopping are ….

One poor customer service encounter online can turn a customer off for good.

Sixty-four percent of consumers will not do business with a company after a poor customer service encounter, contrasting sharply with the 2% who say it’s unimportant, according to a survey commissioned by generative AI customer service platform Airkit.ai. The survey results underscores the primary reasons customer satisfaction has plummeted to a 17-year low, Airkit.ai said. 

n other findings, 92% of consumers are more inclined to shop from brands offering real-time, tailored customer service. The most popular personalized offers are custom coupon codes (40%), email promotions (49%) and word-of-mouth product recommendations (40%).

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%), according to the study.

Other highlights from the survey are below.

•Defining a Good Experience: 69% value quick and easy availability of a rep, while 76% emphasize swift issue resolution.

•Frequency of Interaction: 76% of participants contacted customer service one to three times in the last year, with 24% reaching out four-plus times.

•Preferred Interaction Media: 71% of users opt for the phone, followed by email and text at 36% each, with mobile app and chatbots each preferred by 24%.

•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.

“Brands are at a critical turning point,  said Stephen Ehikian, Airkit.ai co-founder and CEO. “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.”

The survey results are based on responses from 1,000 nationally dispersed US consumers.