Apart from an innate business sense and corporate knowledge, many business owners around the world rely on statistics to effectively run their operations. Regardless of the nature of a business, companies will always seek research and studies to make sure that they don’t miss all the important data and trends in the industry.
Being in the outsourcing industry for years, we’ve learned that getting updated with customer service stats and forecasts is one excellent way to master our craft. Customer service is an integral part of every business operation, as it helps business owners and professionals design the best campaigns to attract more consumers and retain the existing ones.
In this article, we will give you 40 of the most important customer service statistics you need to know to propel your organization to long-term success. From its impact on customer satisfaction and experience, to the anticipated tech trends that will shape its future, these are customer service statistics that will help you strategize in the ever-changing business realm, and establish the best relationship with your clients and partners.
What is customer service?
Customer service is defined as the provision or delivery of services to customers before, during, and after the purchase of a product. It also refers to a series of activities organized to improve the overall experience of customers, meet their expectations, listen to and provide answers to their inquiries, and keep them satisfied.
Based on a 2017 report, 96% of customers stated that customer service plays the most important role in achieving customer loyalty. While this might seem like an exaggeration, it makes so much sense that consumers will always want the best experience to maintain trust and loyalty to a specific brand.
Therefore, it could be easily interpreted that customer service is an endless cycle that should be constantly checked, assessed, and evaluated to ensure quality. It is also a must to make sure that all professionals involved in each phase are 100% competent and committed to delivering the level of services that customers expect.
How important is it to maintain good customer service?
You might have seen cases of businesses closing down due to a poor customer rating, or brands being exposed online after product and service mishaps. While it’s true that these instances could have been handled better and in private, it’s also important for business owners to know that in this digital age, one mistake could cause serious implications to the whole business.
Maintaining good customer service helps businesses succeed not only because of its revenue-generating benefits. Companies invest in superb customer service strategies because it helps them maintain incredible connections with the right people. Partners, clients, and future consumers. Simply put, it’s made and kept not only to take care of existing clients. It is continuously polished and perfected to attract potential investors, and create a new batch of target consumers who will add value to the brand.
40 Fun Customer Service Facts and Statistics Everyone Should Know.
Have you checked the previous year’s customer service statistics to know how you can make your loyal customer base happier and more satisfied with your products and services? If not, then this list is perfect for you. Everything you need to know about customer service and experience, you can find it here. Continue reading.
The importance of excellent customer service has become higher through the years.
1. The customer experience market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.4% between 2023 and 2030.
A study conducted by Grand View Research found that businesses that prioritize a customer-centric approach are most likely to develop a solid presence in the marketplace. With a high CAGR forecast, more and more companies are willing to invest in strategies and campaigns that will elevate customer service experiences.
2. 80% of companies have set concrete and detailed plans to level up their CX investments in 2024.
Gone are the days when companies only prepared for operational improvements. Nowadays, more and more businesses are allotting higher budgets for programs and systems that will improve customer service interactions and create great customer service experiences.
3. Business experts and industry leaders are prioritizing a more simplified customer experience to achieve higher customer loyalty.
Based on research by McKinsey & Company, more business leaders and industry leaders are seeing the importance of convenience to further improve the customer experience of each consumer. Having a smooth customer journey involves helping customers have a stress-free purchasing experience and resolve issues easier.
4. Customer support via phone continues to be one of the most preferred channels, with 60% of customer care leaders reporting significant increases in total number of calls.
Customer service teams handling phone calls see continued growth in the industry. This significant increase, however, should be supported by proper contact center strategies to ensure a proactive customer support system and maintain high customer retention rates.
5. B2C businesses observe a nearly doubled revenue growth with a customer-first strategy.
Positive customer experiences surely have a favorable impact on businesses and profitability. According to Forrester, companies that adopt a customer-first approach have witnessed immense revenue growth in contrast with other businesses that follow noncustomer-first strategies.
6. Companies that prioritize customer satisfaction along with other goals like growth, margin, and profitability are more likely to experience higher customer success rates, with 29% likely to allot budgets for CX.
It’s one thing for a business to put strong emphasis on profit and growth and another thing to put customer needs in a higher regard. With this, businesses that prioritize customer satisfaction while enjoying profit growth and stability are enjoying higher customer success rates. More companies are also securing budgets dedicated to customer experience improvements.
7. The focus on delivering more convenient services to customers has increased by 19% from 2019, according to customer care leaders.
In a study by McKinsey & Company, customer care leaders share their observations of how the pandemic has brought a higher focus on customer experience improvement. With millions of businesses battling to introduce new products or services to the global setting, more companies are seeing the importance of good customer service experience.
8. 80% of organizations expect excellent customer service experience to be the core focus of competition, above other factors.
In addition to creating innovative products and services that will set them apart from their competitors, a huge majority of companies worldwide see the quality of customer service experience as the main factor in their competition against other businesses.
Great customer service has a long-term effect on business growth and success.
9. 93% of customers said that they are more than willing to repeat a purchase from a company that offers a positive customer service experience.
Unsurprisingly, a pleasant experience encourages consumers to continue patronizing a brand. A 2022 research found that a staggering 93% of customers are willing to purchase a product or service from the same brand that gave them a nice customer service experience before, during, and after the transaction.
10. Good customer service is vital to secure business recommendations. In fact, consumers say that if a company’s customer service is “good”, they’re more likely to recommend it.
Whether it’s through word-of-mouth or social media posting, delivering excellent customer service is important for businesses to earn recommendations. Consumers state that receiving great customer service makes them more likely to recommend a specific product or service. Now, imagine how this can multiply your existing customer base. That’s the magic of amazing customer service.
11. 83% of consumers said that they tend to trust and become more loyal to companies that respond to them and help them resolve common product and service issues.
Every customer wants to be heard, appreciated, and valued. And this is where customer service takes over. Good customer service means being able to listen to the needs of your consumers, responding to each inquiry, and of course, helping them resolve product and service-related issues. The trade, on the other hand, is even more valuable. You can expect them to trust you and stay loyal to your brand.
12. 60% of customers have purchased from a business mainly because of its expected customer service quality.
When a company has already established an impressive reputation with its customer service, it already has an edge over other companies. With this, customers tend to do business with companies while anticipating excellent customer service quality that will match their needs.
13. 9 out of 10 customers will spend more on brands that offer top customer service experiences.
In connection with the data above, customers are happier and more willing to spend more money on brands that deliver top-notch services.
14. 86% of respondents state that great customer service experiences can turn one-time clients into loyal consumers.
Perhaps you’re also familiar with customers who want to try on a new product or service to test if it actually delivers the exact features and benefits as per its ads. But if you’re going to provide new products with great customer service, your one-time clients can be the most loyal ones.
15. A 25% increase in profitability can be expected from businesses that could retain at least 5% of its existing customers.
Indeed, having a loyal customer base is crucial to enjoying profit increases. A study shows that by retaining at least 5% of existing consumers, businesses can expect an increase in profitability by 25% to 95%.
16. 80% of customers use customer satisfaction scores to analyze customer service quality and develop effective customer service efforts.
Reviews and ratings don’t lie – especially when they come from customers themselves. CSAT is the top tool that customers use to determine whether customers are happy with a company’s products and services.
The scores often range from very satisfied to very dissatisfied, and of course, businesses should be fully aware that negative CSAT scores will have implications on their reputation.
17. The customer experience management market had an enormous growth of 16.9% in 2020.
During and after the pandemic, companies have devised unique strategies to provide convenient and reliable services to customers worldwide. With several contact limitations and restrictions, companies have learned to adapt to higher and riskier demands of the global consumer base. This also led to the boom of customer experience management market, which businesses still take advantage nowadays.
18. A customer-first approach can help businesses yield up to 700% ROI over 12 years.
Designing a customer-centric operation for your business would cost a lot. But don’t fret because adopting a customer-first approach can help your business enjoy 700% ROI for over 12 years. Just make sure that along with a great plan, you will also get the best people with excellent customer service skills to provide the superb services that your consumers need.
19. Even after a mistake, 78% of customers will do business again with a company that generally delivers good customer service.
Mistakes are inevitable, and for some instances, mistakes could actually serve as opportunities for a business to do better. In fact, a surprisingly high percentage of consumers say that they are still willing to do business again with a company that usually provides great service.
This, even after the company made a mistake. So, in order to regain the trust and loyalty that the consumer has for your business, make sure that the second chance given is sweeter, and better.
20. 49% of American consumers rate customer service as the most important factor that influences their purchasing decisions.
To buy or not to buy? If you want to see more customers checking out those products in their carts, good customer service is the key. In the US alone, consumers consider customer service to be the number one factor that influences their purchasing decisions. Pretty understandable, if you will ask.
And of course, poor customer service also has its costs.
21. 65% of customers stated that they have switched brands after a poor customer experience.
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, customer service is supposed to be an endless cycle. So, regardless if the transaction has been finished or not, businesses should be 100% attentive and responsible to the concerns of customers.
Any form of negligence in the purchasing process could make consumers switch brands, and that could cost so much for your business.
22. 78% of customers have canceled a purchase due to bad customer service experience.
No matter how excited a customer is for a product, a bad customer service experience can make him/her abandon that purchase. Constant support is vital before, during, and after the purchase. It makes your customers happier and will save you and your staff the hassle of tracing canceled orders as well.
23. 72% of consumers agree that talking to multiple people about their product or service problem is an example of bad customer service.
When clients contact customer service desks, they expect to talk with a customer service representative immediately. But for bigger companies, customer service teams are often divided into several departments. Thus, it’s almost normal for customers to wait for hours before they can get a response from the right staff.
The wait time also usually involves call transfers from one agent to another, which can be very frustrating for a customer. The result? Bad experience and negative impression.
24. 79% of customers who relied on customer feedback to complain about a poor customer service experience were ignored by customer service reps.
To express frustrations and air complaints, it’s acceptable and expected from customers to rely on feedback in hopes of being taken care of by a company’s customer service representative. However, with the influx of new complaints and service requests, customer service reps become too occupied by queries from customers. As a result, a high percentage of customers claim that they were ignored by company CX and CS reps after giving feedback on their services.
25. Around 80% of consumers expressed willingness to do business with a competitor brand after more than one bad experience from a company.
The corporate world is heavily saturated, and the competition is expectedly tough. Leveling up your game is one way to secure an edge against your competitor. Clearly, there’s nothing more disappointing than seeing your loyal clients patronizing a rival brand after a bad experience with yours.
26. Only 1 in 5 customers will forgive a company because of poor customer service – but 80% of consumers can let go of an unpleasant experience from a brand with a “very good” customer service rating.
We shared how mistakes are essential for businesses to discover learning opportunities and avoid the same mishaps next time. But when the same mistake already affects your corporate and digital presence, it’s definitely more serious than a common dilemma.
While many consumers express their willingness to forgive a company that usually delivers very good service, for poorly-rated businesses, it’s a different story.
Sure, social media has become a vital tool for businesses to interact with their consumers. But based on social media customer service statistics, respondents say that client relations done via social media are not that great.
Despite providing a quick and hassle-free communication channel for businesses, social media’s incomplete or underdeveloped features and its informal interface fall short under consumer expectations of what an excellent client support should look and feel like.
Word-of-mouth is still the king. And when it comes to client service, this statement still holds so much sense and power. Half of consumers won’t waste their time sharing their experience via social media.
However, a higher percentage will talk about their experiences in person. From one to another, good or bad. So what should businesses do? Make sure that the words that clients used are meant to entice, not to warn.
29. 67% of customers drop calls for customer service requests out of frustration if they can’t reach a customer service representative.
Similar to the dilemma of talking to multiple persons for a single concern, consumers are reasonably impatient if they can’t reach the right staff to help them with their complaints. Nobody wants to continuously dial a client support hotline, only to be prompted by a voicemail to “try calling again later”. This, along with the endless call transfers, is too much for a typical consumer to handle.
Customer experience statistics show that good customer service agents are essential in building valuable business relationships.
30. 70% of customers consider knowledge and awareness of customer service agents about customer interactions as integral parts of a great customer experience.
CX management software certainly helps businesses streamline order processes and other important phases like order tracking and storing client and order information. Support history and ongoing support requests should also be properly noted. These phases affect client satisfaction scores, so your staff should have more than enough knowledge of these stages.
A vast majority of consumers say that staff knowledge of common client interactions is one of the things that they consider if they want to enjoy an excellent client experience.
31. 73% of customers say that one of the reasons they stay loyal to brands is because of friendly customer service agents.
In addition to knowledge of client interactions, social skills are also a must-have for CX employees. Because the job involves regular interactions with different types of consumers with different needs and concerns, a huge number of consumers agree that staff friendliness contributes to their loyalty to a specific brand.
32. 3 out of 4 customers expect AI to deliver the same level of customer service as human agents.
AI is enjoying immense popularity in various industries. As a result, more and more consumers expect AI to be better than human agents in terms of client support and experience.
33. 31% of US consumers state that customer service representatives not replying to their messages and concerns quickly is one factor that gives a brand a negative impression.
Consumers are naturally impatient. Nobody wants long wait times and frustrating queues. This is why 31% of consumers in the US alone consider late and slow responses to their messages as one of the factors that negatively affect their impression of a particular brand.
Live chat support’s increasing popularity is expected to shape the future of customer service.
34. 48% of customers prefer companies that offer proactive customer service through live chats.
Because live chat has features that can help consumers multitask, most consumers prefer businesses that offer live chats with proactive client support features that initiate conversations before them.
35. Live chats help companies predict customer needs and deliver personalized services to their clients.
With an easy interface and interactive features, live chat conversations help businesses ask for vital information to discover and assess client preferences. The common demographic data which includes gender, age, and location help companies design better products and more personalized services that will fit the needs of every consumer.
Features-wise, live chat support amazes with its system that offers convenience to business owners, agents, and consumers. This type of client support also provides quicker responses to common queries while accommodating inquiries from multiple clients at the same time.
Customer service statistics and trends predict continuous technological innovations to perform customer service tasks easier.
37. 57% of service professionals believe that automated voice assistants can be the top communication channel that customers will prefer.
Industry experts can’t wait to drop the endless complaints of consumers about call transfers, ineffective phone support, and long call queues. In research conducted by Salesforce, AVA might be the future of client communications – and this is the client service pros’ prediction as well. Are you ready?
38. Businesses can expect further improvements in customer service software to satisfy all customer service expectations and know what customers want before and after a transaction.
Technology is unstoppable, and different sectors believe that business owners can expect nothing less than terrific improvements in client support software. These improvements may range from typical updates and enhancements to quicker message deliveries and better data protection features.
39. The growing popularity of AI in customer service is essential for customer service employees to extend effective client support and significantly improve CX quality.
Easier access to chat history, accurate automated responses, and a more efficient ticketing system? What AI can’t do, for real? These are just a few of the areas that need further improvements, but with the help of AI, nothing’s really impossible.
40. Generative AI tops the list of technologies that will create the biggest impact on customer service and support.
The rise of artificial intelligence is opening doors for businesses to create better experiences for their clients, with and without the aid of human agents. In fact, Generative AI was predicted to be the number one technology that will provide the strongest impact on the global CX realm.
Always be updated with the latest customer service stats to enjoy consistent performance improvements and maintain client satisfaction.
We hope that this long list of amazing statistics and facts about client support has helped you gain knowledge on the data and trends that influence consumer’s purchasing decisions. Loyalty and satisfaction are products of excellent client support and a stress-free customer journey, so, you should always stay updated with the factors that might affect the way that your existing and potential clients see your business.
With more and more companies investing in campaigns and efforts to master the art of CX, you can also expect technologies to evolve constantly. The ability to adapt to these changes will give you a solid reputation in the corporate jungle and, in this digital age, become unstoppable.
You can also outsource your client support services to us here at Digital Minds BPO. We provide reliable outsourcing solutions to companies and employ the best industry professionals to deliver exceptional assistance to businesses at affordable rates. Contact us today, and let’s start building your dreams!