â–¶ Customer Service Crucial: Underscoring the importance of a strong PR/customer service link, 61% of Americans report that quality customer service is more important to them in today’s economic environment, and will spend an average of 9% more when they believe a company provides excellent service, according to the American Express Global Customer Service Barometer. Other findings include:
• While 37% of Americans believe that companies have increased their focus on providing quality service, 27% feel businesses have not changed their attitude toward customer service and 28% say that companies are paying less attention to good service.
• 48% feel companies are helpful but don’t do anything extra to keep their business. Just 24% say companies value their business and will go the extra mile to keep it, and 21% say that companies take their business for granted.
• 81% of consumers are far more likely to give a company repeat business after a good service experience, while 52% are unlikely to do business with a company again after a poor experience. The three most influential factors when deciding which companies they do business with include: personal experience (98%); the company’s reputation or brand (92%); and recommendations from friends and family (88%).
• Bad customer service can be costly, as half of consumers (52%) expect something in return after a poor service experience—beyond resolving the problem, and most consumers (70%) want that something to be an apology or some form of reimbursement.
Source: American Express
â–¶ Consumer Perceptions of Green Brands: According to WPP’s recent 2010 ImagePower Green Brands Survey, 60% of consumers globally want to buy from environmentally responsible companies. Other findings include:
• Green Issues: Energy use is considered the biggest green issue or problem in America, with economic concerns continuing to take precedence over the environment.
• Green Spending: One-third of U.S. consumers (35%) say they will spend more on green in the coming year (down slightly from 2009).
• Green Management: Three-quarters (75%) of U.S. consumers say that is “somewhat” or “very important” to them that the brands they buy come from green companies. PRN
Source: WPP