Retail

Personalisation key to enhancing US' customer satisfaction: Survey

18 Sep '23

2 min read

Pic: Shutterstock

Insights

92 per cent of US consumers prefer brands offering real-time, personalised customer service, highlighting an opportunity for companies to revamp their strategies, as per a survey by Airkit.ai.
A significant 64 per cent would avoid a brand following a poor service experience, emphasising the critical role of customer support in retaining clientele.

Personalisation emerged as a powerful tool in enhancing the customer satisfaction in the US, with a substantial 92 per cent preferring to patronise brands that proffer real-time, tailored customer service, according to a recent survey commissioned by generative AI customer service platform, Airkit.ai.

The most favoured personalised offers encompassed custom coupon codes, endorsed by 40 per cent, email promotions, supported by 49 per cent, and word-of-mouth product recommendations, also chosen by 40 per cent.

A glaring 64 per cent of the consumers expressed that a single bad customer service experience would dissuade them from doing business with the company again, standing in stark contrast to a mere 2 per cent who brushed off such encounters as unimportant. This underscores the critical cost of a poor customer service experience.

Regarding the frequency of interactions, three-quarters of the participants reported contacting customer service one to three times in the past year, while 24 per cent reached out more than four times. When it comes to defining a satisfactory customer service experience, 69 per cent stressed the importance of readily available representatives, and an even higher percentage, 76 per cent, highlighted the swift resolution of issues, as per the survey

Chatbots have found a considerable user base, with 64 per cent of respondents utilising them in the past year. They valued the immediate responses and the solution to simple inquiries that chatbots afford, alongside easy communication. Despite this, a significant portion of the surveyed individuals (61 per cent) listed long wait times as a primary source of frustration during customer service interactions, followed closely by the repeated necessity to furnish the same information and unresolved issues, each at 60 per cent.

When it comes to preferred mediums of interaction, a dominant 71 per cent chose the phone, followed by email and text, each garnering a 36 per cent preference rate. Notably, mobile apps and chatbots were the choice for 24 per cent of the users.

The survey thereby unravels a critical juncture for brands to re-evaluate and innovate their customer service strategies.

"Brands are at a critical turning point. After massive growth throughout the pandemic, we are seeing a significant shift as consumer spending is tested by inflation and a looming recession. Brand loyalty and customer retention are vital for retail brands, and the recent research suggests that brands must listen and act to compete this holiday season,” said Stephen Ehikian, Airkit.ai co-founder and CEO.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)

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