ONLINE CUSTOMER SERVICE LAGS TRADITIONAL CHANNELS:

Shoppers in need of customer service say they’ll go online to reach out to a company as a last resort, according to a study from The Northridge Group. It is only when they have exhausted all other options that they then turn to live chat, email, or social media to submit an inquiry or complaint. Many customers still prefer speaking to someone on the phone for these types of inquiries. For the consumers surveyed who have contacted brands on social media, one-third of them never received a response. Due to the inherent speed of communication via the web, many consumers feel that slow customer service online is unacceptable:

38% of consumers expect a company’s first response on social media within the same day.

30% said it usually takes a week or longer to receive a first response on social media.

31% of consumers expect a company to resolve an issue on social media within the same day.

39% said that it usually takes a week or longer to have the issue resolved on social media.

As consumers begin to expect faster digital communications, retailers need to keep up with customer service requests. Online channels provide an important opportunity for meeting customer needs as soon as retailers find out about them. Companies that respond quickly to social media inquiries can help drive up customer loyalty, helping to increase revenue over time.