Consumers Believe Customer Experience Has Stagnated, Study Finds

For the third year running, there has been no improvement in the number of consumers who feel brands are generally meeting their customer care needs and expectations, according to a recent report from COPC and Execs In The Know. More specifically, when asked if they feel that the customer care departments of today’s companies are generally meeting their customer service needs and expectations, 39 percent said yes. in 2018, compared to 40 percent and 41 percent saying the same in 2017 and 2016 respectively.

Although it notes that the reasons for this stagnation are unclear, the report says that one possible explanation is that consumers have adjusted their expectations in response to brands paying more attention to customer experience. It notes that simultaneously, innovation leaders have been setting a high bar for customer care, which has made it necessary for companies to figure out not only how to better their direct competitors but also how to compete against any brand that provides an exceptional experience.

The report also sheds light on consumers’ views of unassisted channels. It found that 66 percent reported being open to unassisted solutions as long as their problem is resolved. Nevertheless, when asked whether or not they think the increasing availability of unassisted solutions is making the overall customer experience better or worse, just 24 percent said better, with 38 percent saying worse and 38 percent saying neither better nor worse. With these results in mind, the report suggests that unassisted solutions haven’t quite delivered.