SYDNEY, May 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
NewVoiceMedia research reveals how Australian businesses are driving away customers
New research from NewVoiceMedia, a leading global provider of cloud technology, which helps businesses sell more, serve better and grow faster, reveals that companies in Australia are losing $11 billion a year due to poor customer service, a 38 percent and $3 billion increase since 2014.
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Since NewVoiceMedia's initial 2014 survey, the number of Australian consumers who report leaving a business due to inadequate customer experiences has actually decreased from 58 percent to 48 percent, but consumers are now spending 49 percent more with a company over the course of a year before switching.
Top reasons respondents gave for leaving were consistent with the previous study and included: feeling unappreciated (43 percent), unhelpful/rude staff (36 percent), not being able to get answers (29 percent), being passed around to multiple people (27 percent), being fed up of queuing (26 percent) and being kept on hold for too long (25 percent).
"With revenue being transferred between companies at an alarming rate, this research highlights the considerable impact that customers have on a business's success," said Jonathan Gale, CEO of NewVoiceMedia. "Customer experience is the key differentiator, and by doing it well, organisations can drive the customer acquisition, retention and efficiency that make leading companies successful."
Calling out the contact centres
A majority of respondents (52 percent) indicated calling as their preferred method of communication with a business and 72 percent consider calls to be the quickest way of resolving an issue. However, consumers flagged being kept on hold as the top reason (54 percent) they dislike calling companies. Respondents also noted not being able to speak to a "real person" straight away (45 percent), having to repeat info to multiple agents (45 percent) and needing to navigate multiple menus (35 percent) as off-putting. On average, respondents indicated they would only hold for 11 minutes before hanging up.
Consequently, only 40 percent suggested calls were the most effective way to resolve an issue. Email (25 percent) and social media (18 percent) were other channels respondents touted as "effective" in settling customer service issues.
According to one respondent, a preference for non-telephone communications stems from email's "ability to thoroughly document the problem and [lessen the] chance of a misunderstanding." Others explained that social media often spurs response because the channel is public facing.
How customers respond
Faced with poor customer service, more than half (55 percent) of respondents would never use the offending company again, 47 percent indicated they'd change supplier, 36 percent would write to complain, 30 percent would tell friends and colleagues not to use the company, 15 percent would post an online review and 15 percent would complain publicly via social media.
On the contrary, if provided with good service, respondents indicated they would be more loyal (70 percent), recommend the company to others (66 percent), use the company more frequently (41 percent) and spend more money (30 percent). Only 7 percent claimed good service would not affect their relationship.
For further information, download the research whitepaper at http://www.newvoicemedia.com.
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About NewVoiceMedia
NewVoiceMedia powers customer connections that transform businesses globally. The leading vendor's award-winning cloud customer contact platform revolutionises the way organisations connect with their customers worldwide, enabling them to deliver a personalised and unique customer service experience and drive a more effective sales and marketing team. With a true cloud environment and proven 99.999% platform availability, NewVoiceMedia ensures complete flexibility, scalability and reliability.
Spanning 128 countries and six continents, NewVoiceMedia's 600+ customers include PhotoBox, MobileIron, TNT, Lumesse, JustGiving, Canadian Cancer Society and Wowcher. For more information visit http://www.newvoicemedia.com or follow NewVoiceMedia on Twitter @NewVoiceMedia.
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