A recent report by NewVoiceMedia, an international cloud contact software provider, reveals poor customer service is costing businesses in the U.S. more than $75 billion a year. According to that document, “Businesses are botching the moments that matter in their customer experience. They are failing to alleviate pain points along their customer journey, which compound into negative emotional experiences that are inconsistent with what today’s consumers have come to expect.”
As much as that blurb may contain a tad too much Business 101 chatter when parsed, it conveys the essence of the problem. The bottom line is many businesses are hemorrhaging customers because they are not service savvy. There are a number of reasons for the rising level of consumer discontent. Not feeling appreciated, being unable to find someone who can provide answers to questions, and encounters with rude and unhelpful staff, are high on the list.
So how are we doing in the customer contentment department? In this boom town, businesses of every description are being launched up and down the valley. One of the reasons why many will lose traction has to do with how they treat their customers. And it doesn’t matter whether the retailer bears the moniker of a big national chain or a mom-and-pop operation. Bigger does not necessarily mean better when it comes to service, no matter how many customer satisfaction mission statements are conspicuously posted around the premises.
As much as buying locally makes good economic sense, the flip side is merchants have to earn customer loyalty. In the past, when stores and service providers were in limited supply and local consumers were a captive audience, fine-tuning the service experience was not always high on the agenda. With a vastly expanded marketplace, including online shopping and a surplus of vendors on the Lower Mainland, those days are long gone.
The other consideration is consumers are no longer operating in a communication vacuum. Social media, Trip Adviser, Google reviews, and various other online channels have created a level playing field. “Dissatisfied customers are not just walking out on businesses, they are slamming the door – and sharing their negative experiences more widely than ever before,” according to NewVoiceMedia.
A major problem facing local retailers and service providers is hiring and retaining staff. The turnover rate in the sector is steep, primarily due to low pay and the high cost of living in Squamish. Last June Maclean’s magazine reported that in 2016 twenty-five per cent of B.C. workers earned $15 or less an hour. The report goes on to state that better wages can lead to improved productivity, less absenteeism, and fewer turnovers. Upping the wage anti may boost service levels, but consistent training is equally important.
All and all, for business managers the message is clear: shape up your customer service department, or you could soon find yourself shipping out.
