Customer service needs not being met

NEW YORK Consumers around the world expect better service, a new report by Accenture found.

More than 52% of the more than 3,500 respondents from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, China and France said that over the past five years their expectations for improved service has increased. The study also found that 33% of respondents they have higher service expectations today than they did just last year.

In growing economies the desire for better service was the strongest. In China, 90% of consumers said their expectations for better service had increased over the past five years, and 75% said their expectations are higher than they were a year ago.  In Brazil, 48% of respondents said that their expectations had increased since last year.

Though expectations for customer service were high, many of those surveyed thought these desires weren’t being met by the companies. Globally, 47% of survey respondents said their expectations were met only “sometimes,” “rarely” or “never.” The highest level of dissatisfaction was found among Brazilian consumers, with 67% of those respondents reporting that their expectations are met only “sometimes,” “rarely” or “never.”  

The study shows that poor service means lost business, as a majority of consumers surveyed reported that they quit doing business with a company due to unsatisfactory customer service; the figures were significantly higher for consumers in the emerging economies of China and Brazil – 85% and 75%, respectively. 

“Consumers are empowered with more knowledge and choices than ever — driving a seismic shift in the balance of power to the consumer and adding to the complexities multi-national corporations face,” said Woody Driggs, managing director of Accenture’s Customer Relationship Management practice globally. “Consumers in developed and emerging economies alike have shown their willingness to stop shopping at companies that can’t meet their service expectations.”