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There is a huge emotional component to great customer service.
In an American Express Service Survey, when 1,620 consumers were tested under laboratory conditions, 63% said they felt their heart rate increase when they thought about receiving great customer service. For 53% of those tested, receiving great service triggered the same cerebral reactions as feeling loved.
Consider that globally in 2013, 66% of consumers switched brands or business due to poor customer service, a 4% increase on the previous year. Some 82% of those who switched said the brand could have done something to stop them. (Source: ACCENTURE GLOBAL CONSUMER PULSE SURVEY, NOVEMBER 2013)
All products have limitations. We need to see that in our own offerings and have a Plan B. Consider BMW’s giving Electric car owners get access to petrol vehicles to ease ‘range anxiety’. When BMW launched the electric i3 vehicle in October 2013, they announced that i3 owners would also get reduced rate, on-demand access to a gas-powered car. BMW partnered with car rental service Sixt to offer i3 owners a 20% discount when hiring a BMW car through Sixt. The BMW i3 has an approximate driving range of 160km, and the Add-on Mobility service is intended for motorists planning a trip beyond that range.
Are you thinking video support? Millions of consumers worldwide have had enough of ineffective virtual ‘assistance’ by web or phone. What’s more, they’ve been enjoying on-demand face time with their friends for years now. The tech exists – why can’t brands catch up? Now, forward-thinking brands are finally doing just that: by providing webcam-enabled face-to-face interaction with their customer service representatives – as and when consumers need it.
The takeaway? When it comes to customer service, it’s not about what consumers think. Great service is about feelings.
Digital Business