Online shoppers ditch traditional customer service methods

Tools such as social networking can boost revenues of web-based businesses, says study

Web shoppers are preferring online-based customer service to traditional methods

Online shoppers are forgoing traditional customer service, provided by call centres, in favour of chat and web-based product information searches, according to research.

The study carried out by Loudhouse Research, said that online self-service – the search of product and service information on a retailer's support pages – is the preferred method of sourcing information for 50 per cent of the 1,000 consumers polled, followed by email (19 per cent) and call-based services (18 per cent).

Chat is another popular customer service method for web shoppers, with 64 per cent of the consumers polled having had a chat interaction and 69 per cent saying they would prefer chat to email contact.

The study commissioned by RightNow Technologies also said that while consumers are generally happy with a multichannel contact experience, more needs to be done to make the responses provided through different channels consistent.

That customers use social networking tools to spread negative feedback is also mentioned in the research, with 16 per cent saying they communicate negative experiences to their network to stop them buying from a specific business and 30 per cent using such channels to express disappointment at poor treatment.

Some 78 per cent of online shoppers said businesses should pay more attention to communication surrounding their products in the social media space, and 60 per cent said it was acceptable for businesses to approach users who comment on their offerings and make suggestions of items they may be interested in.

The study also points out that alternative customer service channels could be used to drive revenue, with 60 per cent of web consumers saying they would accept suggestions of relevant products or services during an email exchange and that 53 per cent of those polled would be open to offers through chat.