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Customer experience has never been more important

A new survey explains the key drivers of great customer experience and what they mean for brands. (Hint: Consumers value speed and accuracy but also brands who make them feel heard.)

A new survey explains the key drivers of great customer experience and what they mean for brands.

Customer experience has emerged as one of the chief ways brands compete today. The pandemic pushed customers to digital channels—a trend that is unlikely to abate—and going forward brands still must wrestle with an increased premium on speed and first contact resolution. How quickly and how well companies respond to their customers can mean the difference between customer turnover and long-term brand loyalty.

In fact, 64% of customers say having their issue resolved accurately, completely and quickly is most important to them when reaching out to a brand for help, according to a new survey data from Ubiquity. The online survey of 1,300 people nationally, conducted by Northstar, highlights consumer demand not only for speed and accuracy but also for brands who make them feel heard. For example, 41% of respondents said they most value brands with helpful, empathetic agents who really listen to them.

Fast, thorough and authentic customer service interactions are not only important for satisfying and retaining existing customers, but they are also the key to the coveted word-of-mouth referral. While product quality is still the No. 1 factor in determining whether someone recommends a brand to their friends and family, the second-largest driver of customer recommendations (26%) is customer service.

64%

    of customers say having their issue resolved accurately, completely and quickly is most important when reaching out to a brand for help

      41%

        of respondents said they’re most likely to recommend brands with helpful, empathetic agents who really listen to them

          #2

            Driver of referrals to friends and family is customer service

              10%

                of consumers say short call wait times are most important when contacting a brand

                  To be sure, brands still must invest in product quality in their quest to win customers. However, one thing is clear: Customer experience is closing the gap. Great customer experience is no longer optional. It’s incumbent on brands to grasp the critical factors that impact it and to ensure that when things go wrong, they have agents who are empathetic, willing and able to help.

                  Interestingly, only 10% of customers said short wait times were most important to them, suggesting that customers are willing to wait if it means their problem is solved right the first time.

                    The stakes are high: Competition for brand loyalty is fierce. Speed and responsiveness are critical to delivering customer experiences that make customers feel heard and keep them coming back for more. Brands who fail to keep up with consumer demands for thorough, fast and authentic customer care, risk losing customers and attracting new ones.

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