LONDON, Oct. 3, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delivering a poor customer experience can have a significant impact on a brand or organisation, according to new research* from Mitel® (Nasdaq:MITL) (TSX:MNW), which reveals the important role of contact centres in driving customer loyalty and retention. Almost three quarters (74%) of UK adults would change supplier based on a poor experience with the contact centre, with 46% of these consumers confirming they have already switched for this reason.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults, carried out in September 2013, reveals that personal touch is critical to delivering a positive experience, followed by fast and effective service. The most important factor for consumers when contacting a brand or company is being able to interact with a real person, not an automated service (54%), followed by getting a quick response (49%) and having a query resolved immediately (44%).
The full research, presents a variety of insights into how consumers want to interact with brands in today's multichannel world and why, and uncovers the pet hates that are driving dissatisfaction.
Email is by far the most popular channel at this time, used by 72%. Less established communication methods like live chat and social media are currently used by 10% of UK adults, although the signs are that these internet-based channels will grow in importance, with one in five adults under 35 already using Facebook or Twitter to contact brands.
The research also revealed the critical role of the telephone in the customer service communications mix and in driving customer satisfaction. It is currently used by 49% of consumers when they contact companies, but is the number one channel of choice for voicing frustration.
Premium rate numbers, getting cut off mid-call, being left on hold and automated telephone services all rank in the top five frustrations of UK consumers when contacting a brand or service, via any channel. In contrast, only 13% of survey respondents ranked not receiving a response to an email in their top five pet hates.
Todd Simons, Director Solutions Marketing, Mitel said: "We live in a world where consumers are in charge and switching your supplier is routine and easily achievable. Companies need to work hard to both retain customers and attract new ones. These insights into customer behaviour and preferences give companies a chance to examine their own services and make necessary changes. Customer service teams need solutions that will empower them to deliver high levels of service across every channel, and our research shows that getting this right over the telephone can have an impact on a company's bottom line."
*An online survey was carried out with 2,009 UK adults aged 18 years and above on 20th September 2013, by Vision Critical. For full survey results please contact Mitel using the details below.
About Mitel
Mitel® (Nasdaq:MITL) (TSX:MNW) is a global provider of unified communications and collaboration (UCC) software, solutions and services that enable organizations to conduct business anywhere, over any medium with the device of their choice. Through a single cloud-ready software stream, Mitel's Freedom architecture provides customers in over 100 countries the flexibility and simplicity needed to support today's dynamic work environment. For more information visit www.mitel.com.
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