2012 Global Customer Service

Barometer

Findings in the Netherlands

A research report

prepared for:

2 © echo

Research Method

This research was completed online among a random sample of

consumers aged 18+. A total of 1,001 interviews were completed.

Interviewing was conducted by Echo Research between February

29 and March 7, 2012.

The overall results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage

points at the 95% level of confidence.

3

23%

31%

33%

25%

23%

46%

21%

24%

47%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Businesses pay less attention to providing good customer service

Businesses have increased their focus on providing good customer service

Businesses' attitudes towards customer service have not changed 2012

2011

2010

Consumers view businesses’ attitudes towards

customer service more positively

© echo

One in five consumers believe that, in this current economy, businesses ‘pay less attention to

providing good customer service’, a significant decrease from 2011 (21% vs. 25%). Nearly

half of consumers (47%) think that ‘businesses’ attitudes towards customer service have not

changed’, similar to 46% in 2011. Another quarter of consumers (24%) believe businesses

‘have increased their focus on providing good customer service’ similar to 23% in 2011, but

significantly lower than 31% in 2010.

Q.T3

In this current economy, do you think that …?

Not Shown: 14% or less Not Sure

Significantly higher/lower than previous

year at the 95% confidence level.

4

2%

28%

62%

1%

38%

55%

2%

32%

59%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Exceed your expectations

Miss your expectations

Meet your expectations

2012

2011

2010

Fewer consumers are disappointed with their customer

service experiences

© echo

The majority of consumers, 59%, say that companies are meeting their expectations for

customer service, up from 55% in 2011, but not up to the 62% seen in 2010.

Similar to 2011, only 2% said that the customer service experiences they have with

companies usually ‘exceed their expectations’ (1% in 2011), while 32% said that companies

usually ‘miss their expectations’ for customer service, down significantly from 38% in 2011.

Q.T2

In general, would you say the

customer service experiences you

have with companies usually…?

Not Shown: 8% or less Not Sure

5

2%

9%

35%

25%

6%

31%

33%

20%

6%

32%

33%

23%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Don't seem to care about your business

Take your business for granted

Are helpful, but don't do anything extra to keep your business

Value your business and will go the extra mile for you

2012

2011

2010

Most consumers still believe that companies aren’t

doing anything extra to keep their business

© echo

About one third of consumers see companies as ‘helpful, but not doing anything extra to keep

their business’ (33%), the same as last year. A similar proportion however, feel that

companies ‘take their business for granted’(32%; 31% in 2011) .

In 2012, one quarter (23%) of consumers think that companies ‘value their business and will

go the extra mile for them’, similar to 2010 (25%), but higher than 2011 (20%).

Q.T1

In general, do you feel that companies…?

Significantly higher/lower than previous

year at the 95% confidence level.

Not Shown: Not Sure 9% or less in 2012,2011; 30% in 2010

6

18%

26%

2%

9%

44%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

2011

20%

27%

2%

11%

40%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Don't know

Not willing to spend more

20% or more

10% more

5% more

2012

Willing to

spend more

53%

Average: 7%

22%

48%

1%

5%

24%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

2010

Consumers will spend more with companies that

provide excellent service

© echo

A little less than three in five consumers (57%) say they have spent more with a company

because of a history of positive customer service experiences, significantly fewer than in 2011

(64%).

More than half of consumers (53%) state that they are willing to spend more with a company

they believe provides excellent customer service, compared to a slightly higher 56% in 2011.

Like last year, they are willing to spend 7% more, on average.

Willing to

spend more

56%

Average: 7%

Have spent

more

64%

Q.T4/T5

Willing to

spend more

29%

Average: 7%

Have spent

more

36%

How much more would you be willing to spend with a company

that you believe provides excellent customer service?

Have spent

more

57%

Significantly higher/lower than previous

year at the 95% confidence level.

7

5%

12%

22%

26%

35%

5%

17%

20%

26%

31%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

I only spend money with companies who provide excellent service

I refuse to do business with a company that provides poor service

I place a high value on excellent customer service

Companies who provide excellent service have earned my business

Excellent service is worth spending more to me

2012

2011

8%

17%

19%

49%

9%

18%

18%

51%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

My expenses have gone up

I can't afford to

Prices for goods and services are already too

high

I expect excellent service and should not have to

spend more

Consumers value excellent service – some are willing to

pay for it, while others expect it

© echo

Those who are willing to spend more with a company they believe provides excellent

customer service say that ‘excellent service is worth spending more to them’ (31%), and that

‘companies who provide excellent service have earned their business’ (26%). Roughly one

in five consumers ‘place a high value on excellent customer service’ (20%) and ‘refuse to do

business with a company that provides poor service’ (17%).

For those not willing to spend more with a company they believe provides excellent customer

service, half (51%) ‘expect excellent service’ and feel they ‘should not have to spend more’.

Just under one in five said they ‘can’t afford to’ or feel that ‘prices for goods and services are

already too high’ (18%, each).

Q.T5A Respondents not willing to spend more (n=473/443)

Q.T5B Respondents willing to spend more (n=528/564)

Why would you be willing

to spend more with a company that

provides excellent customer service?

Why would you not be willing

to spend more with a company that

provides excellent customer service?

Not Shown: 6% or less None of these Not Shown: 1% None of these

8

60%

58%

33%

37%

5%

3%

2%

2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

All the time Sometimes Rarely Never

45%

44%

45%

48%

7%

6%

3%

2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2011

2012

All the time Sometimes Rarely Never

Consumers are telling more people about their good experiences,

but still more likely to talk about the bad ones

© echo

Over two in five consumers (44%) tell someone about their good customer service experiences

all of the time, similar to 2011 (45%). When it comes to poor customer service experiences, 58%

of consumers talk about them all the time.

On average, consumers tell 11 people about their good experiences (up from 7 in 2011), and 16

people about their bad experiences (similar to 15 in 2011).

11

Avg # of

people they tell

7

Q.N6/6a/6b/6c

How often do you tell other people

about your good experience?

16

Avg # of

people they tell

15

How often do you tell other people

about your poor experience?

Significantly higher/lower than previous

year at the 95% confidence level.

9

Yes, 28%

No, 72%

In the past year, have you intended to conduct a business transaction or make a purchase but decided not to based on a poor customer service experience?

Poor service can lead to lost sales

© echo

In the past year, more than one quarter (28%) of consumers have intended to conduct a

business transaction or make a purchase, but decided not to based on a poor service

experience.

Q.N13

10

Yes, 44%

No, 56%

In the past year, have you lost your temper with a customer service professional?

Consumers lose their temper with customer service

representatives

© echo

More than two in five consumers have lost their temper with a customer service

professional in the past year (44%).

Of those who lost their temper, a third (33%) ‘hung up the phone’, three in ten (31%)

‘insisted on speaking with a supervisor’, a quarter (25%) ‘threatened to switch to a

competitor’, or ‘demanded to know the customer service professional’s name’ (23%).

Q.N14

Q.N14a Respondents who have lost their temper in the past year (n=443)

7%

10%

13%

23%

25%

31%

33%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Used profanity

Stormed out of the store

Talked about my experience via social media

Demanded to know the customer service professional's name

Threatened to switch to a competitor

Insisted on speaking with a supervisor

Hung up the phone

Which of the following have you done when you lost your temper with a customer service professional?

Not Shown: 14% None of these

11

6%

8%

11%

12%

16%

20%

21%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Finding out company policies and pricing have changed without notice

Being forced into one channel (email, phone, etc.)

Being pressured to purchase something

Waiting too long to have an inquiry resolved

Having to continue to follow up to check if your issue has been resolved

A rude or unresponsive customer service rep

Being shuffled from rep to rep with no resolution of your issue

Consumers desire customer service representatives

to be effective, considerate and responsive above all

© echo

One in five consumers cite ‘being shuffled from representative to representative with no

resolution of their issue’ (21%) or ‘a rude or unresponsive customer service representative’

(20%) as the most likely customer service issue to influence them to switch brands or

companies. Greater than one in ten cite ‘having to continue to follow up to check if your issue

has been resolved’ (16%), ‘waiting too long to have an inquiry resolved’ (12%), or ‘being

pressured to purchase something (11%).

Q.N15

Which of the following customer service issues

would be most likely to influence you to

switch brands or companies?

Not Shown: 8% None of these

12

9%

10%

10%

12%

12%

15%

34%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Social networking site

Online chat/instant messaging

Face to face

Using an automated voice response system on the phone

Text message

Speaking with a 'real' person on the phone

Company website or email

A simple inquiry (such as locating a product or checking an account balance)

Consumers’ preferred channel for customer service inquiries

varies depending on the complexity of the inquiry

© echo

Q.N12a/b/c

For simple inquiries, such as locating a product or checking an account balance, a third (34%) of consumers

prefer using a company website or email, followed at a distance by speaking with a ‘real’ person on the phone

(15%), using text messages and using an automated voice response system on the phone (12%, each).

For a more complex inquiry, such as returning a product or getting assistance with a product issue, two out of

five (39%) consumers prefer speaking with a ‘real’ person on the phone, followed by using a company website

or email (21%), and having a face to face interaction (15%).

For even more difficult or complicated inquiries, two in five consumers (42%) prefer speaking with a ‘real’

person on the phone, 35% prefer a face to face interaction, while only 11% prefer a company website or

email.

4%

9%

15%

6%

5%

39%

21%

0% 20% 40% 60%

A more complex inquiry (such as returning a product or

getting assistance with a product issue)

3%

4%

35%

3%

2%

42%

11%

0% 20% 40% 60%

A difficult inquiry (such as making a complaint or

disputing a charge)

For each of the following types of customer service

inquiries, which is your

preferred channel for reaching out to companies?

13

Consumers are generally willing to wait less than 10

minutes on average for customer service

© echo

On average, consumers are willing to wait a maximum of 7 minutes on hold when they

contact a customer service center by telephone. More than two in five (44%) are willing to

wait less than 5 minutes, while fewer than one in ten (4%) are willing to wait 30 minutes or

more.

In person, consumers are willing to wait an average of 8 minutes for customer service

help, slightly more than on the phone. Only 4% are willing to wait more than 30 minutes.

Q.N16/N18

Less than 5 minutes, 44%

5 min >10 min, 30%

10 min >15 min, 16%

15 min >30 min, 7%

30 min >1 hour, 2%

1 hour or more, 2%

When you contact a customer service center by phone, what is the maximum amount of time you are

willing to wait on hold?

Avg. =

7min

Less than 5 minutes, 31%

5 min >10 min, 31%

10 min >15 min, 23%

15 min >30 min, 12%

30 min >1 hour, 3%

1 hour or more, 1%

What is the maximum amount of time you are willing to wait for help from customer service in-person

(ex., at a bank, retail store, service provider or restaurant)?

Avg. =

8 min

14

25%

25%

60%

52%

15%

23%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

In-person

On the phone

Improved Have Not Changed Worsened

There is room for improvement in customer service

wait times

© echo

One in four (25%) consumers feel that companies have generally improved in terms of the

amount of time they are being left on hold during a typical customer service phone call or in

person. Almost as many (23%) feel that companies have worsened in this respect on the

phone. Only 15% feel companies have worsened in terms of the amount of time they are kept

waiting in person.

Q.N17/N19

In the past year, do you believe that companies have generally

improved or worsened in terms of the amount of time you feel you have spent

waiting for help from customer service…?

15

Yes, 17%

No, 83%

In the past year, have you utilized social media to get a customer service response?

Social media not commonly used by consumers

seeking a customer service response

© echo

Fewer than one in five (17%) consumers say they have utilized social media to get a

customer service response in the past year. For those who have used social media for

customer service, they have done so for a variety of reasons, including ‘venting frustration

with a bad customer service experience’ (34%), ‘praising a company for a great service

experience’ (29%), ‘sharing information about your service experience with a broader

audience’ (22%), ‘seeking an actual response from a company to help you with a service

issue’ (22%), and ‘seeking recommendations from others about great service

establishments’ (21%).

Q.N20/N21

Respondents who have utilized social media to get a customer service response in past year (n=167)

16%

16%

21%

22%

22%

29%

34%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Praise an individual for providing a great service experience

Ask questions of other users about how to get better service

Seek rec. from others about great service establishments

Share information about your service experience with a broader audience

Seek a response from a company to help you with a service issue

Praise a company for a great service experience

Vent frustration with a bad customer service experience

Which of the following are reasons you use social media when it comes to customer service?

Not Shown: 26% None of these

16

Consumers see improvements in how companies use

social media to address customer service issues

© echo

Only one in ten (11%) consumers who have used social media for customer service

inquiries say they always get an answer or have their complaint resolved. One third (34%)

say they rarely or never get an answer or have their complaint resolved.

Despite this spotty record, close to half (45%) feel companies have generally improved

their response times over social media channels. A similar number (48%) say they have

not changed, while only 7% say response times over social media have worsened.

Q.N22/N23

Respondents who have utilized social media to get a customer service response in past year (n=167)

Always, 11%

Sometimes, 55%

Rarely, 21%

Never, 13%

When you use social media to complain about a customer service issue, how often do you feel you get an answer or

your complaint is resolved by the company?

Improved, 45%

Have not changed, 48%

Worsened, 7%

In the past year, have companies generally improved or worsened in terms of how quickly you feel they respond to

you over social media channels surrounding a general inquiry or complaint?

17

23%

21%

26%

41%

48%

47%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

They know their business/product better than large companies

They understand their customer better than large companies

They provide a more personal customer service experience than large

companies

Based on your experience, how much do you agree or disagree that each of the following statements accurately describes customer service in small business?

Consumers say small businesses provide more personal service and

understand both their business and customers better than large companies

© echo

Just under three quarters (73%) agree small, independently or locally-owned businesses

‘provide a more personal customer service experience’, with one quarter (26%) strongly

agreeing with this statement. Seven in ten (69%) feel small businesses ‘understand their

customer better’ than large companies, with one in five (21%) strongly agreeing. More

than three in five (64%) feel small businesses ‘know their business/product better’, with

just under one quarter (23%) strongly agreeing.

Q.N24

Agree

73%

69%

64%

18

Consumers willing to spend more with a small business even if a

large company provides an equally high level of customer service

© echo

Comparing a small independently-owned business and a large company that both provide

excellent customer service, more than half (54%) of consumers who are willing to spend

more with a company that provides excellent customer service are willing to spend more

with a small business compared to a large company. Fewer than one in ten (7%) are

willing to spend more with a large company over a small business, while two in five (40%)

state there is ‘no difference in their willingness to spend more for excellent customer

service.’

Q.T5C

Respondents willing to spend more with a company that they believe provides excellent customer service (n=528)

Willing to spend more with a small

business, 54%

Willing to spend more with a large

company, 7%

No difference, 40%

Considering a small independently-owned business and large company that both provide excellent customer service –

which type of company are you willing to spend more with?

19

The casual dining industry rate highest in most

customer service areas asked about

© echo

Retail and hospitality follow at a close second in most areas, though no industry is rated

particularly high.

Q.N7-N11

35%

34%

41%

28%

27%

32%

33%

23%

39%

36%

40%

26%

30%

36%

40%

29%

39%

38%

45%

29%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

You have spent more with a company because of a history of positive customer service experiences

Have increased their focus on providing good customer service

Values your business and will go the extra mile for you

Customer service exceeds your expectations

Casual Dining

Hospitality

Retail

Travel

Luxury Brand

% Who Agree the Statement Describes

Customer Service in the Industry