Excellent customer service is the lifeblood of any business. After all, without happy customers, where would you be?

The good news is customers aren’t afraid to say what they want and expect when it comes to good customer experience. We’ve collected some of the latest statistics on customer service expectations, satisfaction, loyalty and more. With this valuable information, you’ll be able to see how your company measures up and where you could be doing better. Let’s dive in!

Why meeting customer expectations is so important?

If businesses don’t meet their customers’ expectations, they’re likely to lose business. That’s why it’s so important to take the time to understand what their customers want and then deliver on those expectations. Good experiences create satisfied customers who are more likely to come back. And that’s good for business.

  1. 72% of customers are willing to spend 16% more when they’ve received an excellent customer service experience. [American Express]
  2. 90% of customers believe when it comes to delivering a good customer experience, most brands fail to meet their expectations. [Acquia]
  3. 63% of customers admit that they often abandon a brand for another when the online experience is poor. [Gladly]
  4. 86% of customers who say they had a great experience will make another purchase from the company. [Temkin]
  5. Customers who have a negative experience of an app are 60% less likely to buy from that company in the future. [Google]
  6. 66% of customers say they can’t remember the last time a brand exceeded their expectations. [Acquia]
  7. 63% of customers fall in love with a brand because of their great customer service. [Gladly]
  8. 78% of businesses agree that delivering an amazing customer experience is a powerful competitive advantage. [LXA]
  9. 93% of customers are more likely to be repeat customers at companies with excellent customer service. [Hubspot]
  10. 89% of consumers began doing business with a competitor following a poor customer experience. [Oracle]

What kinds of interactions lead to higher customer satisfaction?

Customers want their issues resolved quickly and easily, without having to jump through hoops or be put on hold for extended periods of time. They want knowledgeable and friendly customer service agents who can provide them with a resolution on initial contact. The stats below shed a light on what you can do to make your customers happier and what to avoid:

  1. 27% of customers say that lack of effectiveness of the agent is a primary cause of their frustration. [Statista]
  2. 90% of consumers say that problem resolution is their most important customer service issue. [KPMG]
  3. 83% of customers say they are more loyal to brands who are able to successfully solve their complaints [Khoros].
  4. 66% of customers would rather spend money with a company that provides better customer service. [American Express]
  5. 1 out of 3 customers get frustrated if a digital service isn’t intuitive or easy to use. [AppDynamics]
  6. 70% of customers say that speed and convenience are important factors in feeling positive about their customer service experiences. [PWC]
  7. 33% of customers consider switching companies after just one poor customer service incident. [American Express]
  8. 66% of customers feel frustrated when they have to repeat information to multiple agents. [Accenture]
  9. 52% of Americans will not complete a business transaction or make a purchase because of poor customer service. [American Express]
  10. 69% of customers considered a quick resolution to their problem as a factor of a good customer service experience. [Zendesk]

How important is personalized service to your customers?

When it comes to customer service, it’s important to remember that customers don’t want to feel like a number. They want to feel like they’re being treated as an individual, with personalized service that meets their specific needs. When you make that personal connection, you’ll find that your customers are more loyal, more engaged, and more likely to recommend you to their friends.

  1. 70% of customers say it’s important that brands give them personalized experiences. [Stackla]
  2. 44% of customers say receiving quick responses to questions with helpful, personalized answers is very important to them. [Khoros]
  3. 87% of American customers say they are okay with allowing various details of their activity to be monitored to get more personalized experiences. [Hubspot]
  4. 84% of customers say being treated like a person, not a ticket, is essential to winning their business. [Salesforce]
  5. 72.4% of customers are more likely to buy a product if it has information in their own language. [Harvard Business Review]
  6. 44% of consumers are likely to become repeat buyers after a personalized experience with a company. [Segment]
  7. Companies that provide a personalized customer experience can increase revenues by 19%. [DMA]
  8. 75% of customers expect agents to know about their previous interactions. [Microsoft]
  9. 83% of customers felt more loyal to companies that understood and responded to their needs. [Khoros]
  10. 76% of consumers are more likely to be loyal to a brand that understands them on a personal level. [Acquia]

Omnichannel strategy is becoming the new standard

Customers prefer it when they can be helped through multiple channels, such as phone, chat, or email. This allows them to choose the most convenient method for them. By meeting these needs, businesses can ensure that their customers are satisfied and more likely to continue doing business with them in the future.

  1. 81% of customers say that they would like to be offered more self-service options. [NICE]
  2. 86% of customers say they expect to be able to move from channel to channel but still have seamless conversations with agents.
  3. 46% of customers say that being able to interact using their method of choice is the most important part of a customized customer service experience. [Alvaria]
  4. 55% of customers wait less than an hour before switching to a different channel if their issue is unresolved. [Northridge]
  5. Businesses with omnichannel engagement strategies have a high average customer retention rate of 89%. [Invesp]
  6. Preference for social media, online chat, and SMS channels have seen a post-pandemic increase of 14%. [Northridge]
  7. 59% of customers admit to using more than 3 different channels to reach out to a company. [Microsoft]
  8. 73% of customers feel that phone calls and agent assisted live chat provide the fastest response to service inquiries. [Northridge]
  9. Companies that have a multi-channel engagement strategy enjoy 10% year-on-year growth. [Adobe]
  10. 94% of customers say brands who offer excellent service over messaging channels are more likely to have repeat purchases.
  11. 75% of customers prefer private messaging apps like WhatsApp over traditional channels like phone or email.
  12. 60% of customer service teams report that they deliver support across three or more channels.
  13. 52% of customers prefer using an online channel when reaching out to customer support.

Social Media

Social media has made it easy for customers to share their experiences with friends and family, amplifying the reach of word-of-mouth recommendations. As a result, brands need to be more strategic in how they use social media to reach and engage customers. By leveraging the power of social media, brands can take advantage of the changing customer landscape and build deeper relationships with their customers.

  1. 41% of customers feel a brand truly cares about them when the brand replies to a review on social media. [BazaarVoice]
  2. 40% of customers expect a response within the hour on social media platforms. [Sprout Social]
  3. 46% of customers have used social media to “call out” a brand. [Sprout Social]
  4. 44% of social media complaints are triggered by customers who lose patience while waiting for a response. [Toister]
  5. 73% of customers are likely to share good customer experience with their friends and on social media. [Hyken]
  6. Customers who receive responses from businesses on Twitter, are willing to spend 3–20% more on items from that business in the future. [Twitter]
  7. Conversation starting from negative Tweet resulted in 3 times higher willingness to pay for a service. [Twitter]
  8. 47% of social media users expect companies to provide customer service via social channels. [Nielsen]

What can building customer loyalty do for your business?

Your most loyal customers are your best brand ambassadors. Here’s why: they’re the ones who love your product or service so much that they’re willing to tell their friends and family about it. And when you have a satisfied customer base, that word-of-mouth marketing is invaluable. Let’s take a look at some statistics that demonstrate this:

  1. 57% of customers spend more money on the brands or companies to which they are loyal. [Accenture]
  2. 73% of customers say they stay loyal to brands because of friendly customer service agents. [HubSpot]
  3. Loyal customers bring repeat business and spend 67% more than first-time buyers. [Bain & Company]
  4. Customers who are members of loyalty programs generate 12-18% incremental revenue growth per year than non-members. [Accenture]
  5. 59% of consumers say that once they’re loyal to a brand, they’re loyal to it for life. [Acquia]
  6. 39.4% of loyal customers will spend more on a product even if there are cheaper options elsewhere. [Yotpo]
  7. 60% of customers who consider themselves loyal to a brand will tell friends and family about it. [Yotpo]

Value of emotional connections based on Social Responsibility Issues

Customers are more likely to have strong brand allegiance to companies that share their values. For example, a customer who is concerned about environment issues is more likely to stick with a brand that is also committed to making a difference. When brands take the time to connect with their customers an emotional level, they build a strong bond that can last a lifetime.

  1. 82% of consumers with high emotional engagement indicated that they always buy from the brand they are loyal to. [Capgemini]
  2. 72% of customers prefer buying from companies that are aligned with their values. [5Wpr]
  3. 78% of customers feel better when they buy products that are better for the environment. [Unilever]
  4. 66% of customers in the U.S. buy from brands that reflect their personal values. [Ipsos]
  5. 60% of customers indicated that social responsibility initiatives of a company contribute to their loyalty to the brand. [Vodacom]
  6. 72% of customers expect brands to be positive contributers to society. [Sprout Social]
  7. 67% of consumers believe brands should raise awareness around social & political issues using their platforms. [Sprout Social]

Your customers are the best judges of whether or not you’re meeting their expectations. By paying attention to these key indicators, you can be sure you’re providing the excellent customer service that will keep your business thriving for years to come.