ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Consumers report that poor technical service support is among life’s most frustrating issues. More than three-quarters (77 percent) of consumers claim having to repeat information three times for customer support agents is more frustrating than going through long security lines at the airport, according to data today released from the Customer and Product Experience 360 (CPX 360™) Survey by iQor, the only global managed services provider embedded in the flow between product, people and services.
Nearly two-thirds of consumers (60 percent) reported having to repeat information three times during a call was more frustrating than being put on hold for 15 minutes or being stuck in traffic. Seventy percent of consumers claimed it was more frustrating than being on an airplane with a crying baby. Repeating information multiple times during the customer service journey is common, as only about one in three indicated their information was always retained between customer service steps—consumers speak with an average of 2.1 companies and 3.1 people when dealing with an issue.
“Customers are often transferred from agent to agent and information is not retained between interactions because companies keep operating in traditional department silos,” said Hartmut Liebel, CEO of iQor. “Brands need to completely rethink and reorient their businesses and processes around the customer to ensure that the contact history and context is retained. If this does not happen, brand loyalty will suffer.”
Among those whose information was not retained, 81 percent indicated this delayed their resolution and 85 percent found it to be somewhat or extremely annoying.
Lack of Customer Support Knowledge Preventing Issue Resolution
Consumers are disappointed with the lack of customer support knowledge. While most consumers expect their customer support representative to be knowledgeable, more than one-third (36 percent) of consumers dealing with a technical issue on a smart device report that support representatives lack knowledge about the device, product or service needed for issue resolution.
“The performance gap between consumers’ expectations and actual service delivery is fixable,” said Liebel. “Consumers dealing with technical issues need actionable advice. As connected devices proliferate, customer support technicians must be equipped with the systems, knowledge and training to handle a wide range of questions about products, services and the environments they operate in. iQor empowers our clients, some of the largest technology brands in the world, to integrate the customer and product journeys to reduce friction, provide a better overall customer experience and address these consumer pain points head on.”
Consumers Want Updates Throughout Product Resolution Process
The CPX 360 survey reports that the biggest customer service performance deficit and area for improvement—a 35 percent gap between importance to customer and actual performance—is giving status updates on receipt or status of returns sent in for repair, and how long the process will take.
“Consumers are asking for more transparency throughout the product return and issue resolution process,” said Hartmut Liebel, CEO of iQor. “When dealing with multiple companies, consumers are unaware of where their product is in the repair process and when it will be returned. Today, consumers can track a pizza online when they order it—from the moment it’s in the oven to when it goes out for delivery—but when dealing with high-ticket technology devices, like their computer or mobile phone, they don’t know where the product is or when it will be returned. This is an obvious place where consumer-facing brands – from OEMs and service providers to connected healthcare, retailers and financial services companies – can make a significant difference in how customers experience their products and services.”
For more information on iQor, please visit https://www.iqor.com/.
About the Customer and Product Experience (CPX) 360 Survey
The Customer and Product Experience (CPX) 360 Survey was conducted online by SSI and commissioned by iQor, the only global managed services provider embedded in the flow between product, people and services. The study consists of two survey bases: 1) US adults age 18-65; balanced to US Census proportions on gender, age and region (n = 6,346) and 2) US adults 18 and up living in a “smart household” environment (n = 1,004). Data was collected between Nov. 9 to Nov. 17, 2017 – to gauge customer experience and customer service expectations of buyers of consumer technology in today’s digital age. All “smart household” respondents indicated they own or regularly use: a smartphone, a computer (desktop, laptop or tablet), and two or more “smart” devices; and indicating they have had a problem or issue setting up or attempting to operate a technology product, device or service in the past two years.
About iQor
iQor is the only global managed services provider embedded in the flow between product, people, and services, from point of customer acquisition to sustainable recycling. With 45,000 employees in 18 countries, we partner with many of the world's best-known brands to deliver aftermarket product and customer support solutions that span the consumer value chain, from customer care and receivables management to product diagnostics and repair services. Our award-winning technology, logistics, and analytics platforms enable us to measure, monitor, and analyze brand interactions, improve business processes, and find operational efficiencies that lead to superior outcomes for our partners across the customer and product life cycles. For more information, please visit us at www.iqor.com or follow us at www.twitter.com/iqor.
