Customers are willing to spend 9% more on a product if they receive superior customer service, according to new research from cloud-based contact centre technology provider, Puzzel.
The findings, published in Puzzel’s Retail Smart Guide: Tips for delivering smarter shopping experiences, was drawn from a survey commissioned by the company into the shopping opinions and preferences of 1,000 UK consumers in July.
The study reveals how shopping behaviours and customer expectations have changed since the Covid-19 pandemic and advises how retailers must react to the shifting dynamic.
Jonathan Allan, Chief Marketing Officer at Puzzel, said: “The pandemic saw almost everything in-store move online and as such, customer behaviours and expectations around the retail experience and customer service changed. Despite largely positive experiences during the pandemic, our research reveals a clear requirement for retailers to deliver more personalised customer service, across a broad range of channels, in-store and online.
“There’s also a clear appetite for more human experiences, demonstrating the potential value in re-creating that in-store experience across digital platforms. The future of retail is hybrid, and the brands that can provide these smarter, connected experiences, will thrive post-pandemic and beyond.”
Amid reports that 58% of customers now plan to do all or most of their shopping online(an increase of 23% since before the pandemic), the research finds in-store experiences remain a vital part of a retailer’s multi-channel offering. In fact, 21% of shoppers selected in-store as their preferred channel for customer service, closely followed by email (18%), live web chat (16%) and voice calls (14%).
Further to this, over a third (35%) of respondents feel in-store customer service representatives are most trustworthy – perhaps tapping into people’s renewed desire for human experiences – with just one in four (25%) selecting online channels as their most trusted route for customer support. To improve trust in their digital channels, retailers must ensure every touchpoint is capable of delivering a seamless, secure and consistent service experience.
During the pandemic, millions of people used video every day to communicate with their colleagues, friends and family. Now customers are realising the benefits for shopping and customer service too. Over half (54%) of the consumers surveyed by Puzzel who had used video calls for customer service reported a positive experience. However, with 57% reporting to have never used the channel in this way before, there’s clearly growth potential for retailers to deploy the new technology.
Customers now expect retailers to know exactly what they want, when they want it, where it needs to be delivered and how. Indeed, three quarters (76%) of shoppers said they expected a personalised customer experience, with nearly half (46%) saying it was frustrating when they had to repeat a request. Thirty-five per cent said they expected customer service agents to have immediate background knowledge on their query, and a quarter (23%) wanted the ability to move between channels without disruption.
However, 55% of UK shoppers said they were not comfortable granting brands and retailer’s permission to collect their data. This desire for personalised service, yet hesitancy to provide brands with their personal details paints a challenging picture for retailers and underlines the importance of building stronger relationships with customers.
