Customer service complaints soar

Businesses that do not respond to emails are becoming an increasing irritation

Consumers are unhappy with service levels

Customer service complaints have risen 14 per cent year-on-year, with most people grumbling about poorly managed customer communications, according to research conducted by YouGov.

Common complaints include failing to respond to emails, phone calls and letters.

Some 69 per cent of people have complained about poor customer service this year compared to 55 per cent in 2006, with lack of responsiveness the biggest gripe rather than poor products and services.

The findings of the study of 2,819 British consumers commissioned by RightNow Technologies, also reveals that 79 per cent of adults who complained did so up to five times in the past 12 months.

While 60 per cent of Britons expect the problem to be fixed to their satisfaction, only 27 per cent said this was the case.

For 34 per cent of respondents, the company did nothing once the complaint had been made.

Telecoms firms and ISP providers top the complaints list as the most likely to make Britons complain (23 per cent), followed by banks and insurers (19 per cent) and utility companies (17 per cent).

RightNow says the study shows organisations should review and reorganise how complaints are dealt with or risk suffering financially as customers vote with their feet.

Complaints can be used as business feedback to help drive decision making and customers should be able to complain through a variety of channels the company says.

‘Consumer expectations are rising, so what may have been an adequate complaints procedure in the past is probably not going to suffice in today’s marketplace where there is little to differentiate between price or product,’ said Wayne Foncette, RightNow’s vice president for the UK and Ireland.

‘It is essential that organisations view how they deal with customer complaints as part of the wider customer experience strategy - neglect or ineffective strategies will send consumers flocking to competitors. The technology and expertise exists to help businesses do this in a cost conscious way so the challenge can be overcome,’ he said.

RightNow speculates that the increased readiness to rant has been sparked by a number of factors including consumer rights to fight unfair banking charges, increased activity of regulators and consumer empowerment through the web.