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Quick service, not rewards, make SA customers stay | #ebizradio | #marketing

Quick service, not rewards, make SA customers stay | #ebizradio | #marketing

New Global Research Highlights Urgency for Convenient, Personalised Service to Meet Consumer Expectations and Build Brand Loyalty

• Dealing with consumer requests quickly makes consumers stay
• Four in five South African adults are likely to tell friends and family if they receive good customer service
• Almost half will renew or upgrade products and services even if it wasn’t the cheapest option

The plethora of reward-offering companies striving to retain South African customers may have to think again, as consumers seem to be more interested in good service than in sticks or carrots.

These are some of the results of a large-scale study of more than 18,000 consumers in nine countries published by Verint® Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: VRNT) with support from analyst and consultancy firm, Ovum. The study highlights the importance of quick, easy and personalised service in securing their loyalty. It additionally uncovered deep divisions over attitudes to how personal data is used to deliver this service.

The results show that South African consumers are more likely to remain loyal to a company that can deal with a request quickly, with 55% saying this makes them stay.

If consultants on the phone can solve issues without consulting a manager, 42% would not remove their patronage. Furthermore, 37% want the company to understand their issue as well as their history with the service provider.
As for rewards, company apps or rewards were only popular with 24% and 28% of respondents respectively.

The big apple for service providers
Although South Africans seem not to appreciate rewards too much, the research shows that they are happy to reward good service.

Four in five (79%) South African adults are likely to tell friends and family if they receive good customer service, 49% will leave a positive review and 46% will renew or upgrade products and services even if it wasn’t the cheapest option.

Finally, 27% of customers will purchase goods or services, even if it was too expensive, if they felt the company understood their personal needs.

How was the research conducted?
Interviews were conducted amongst 18,038 consumers in the following countries: Germany (2,006), France (2,001), Netherlands (2,002), Poland (2,001), UK (2,004), South Africa (2,010), USA (2,007), Australia (2,007) & New Zealand (2,000). The research was conducted online and respondents were incentivised to participate. The research was conducted in the local language.

Behind the scenes
Verint® is a global leader in Actionable Intelligence®, which has become a necessity in a dynamic world of massive information growth. By empowering organisations with crucial insights, Verint solutions enable decision makers to anticipate, respond and take action, and make more informed, effective and timely decisions. Our solutions are designed to address three important areas of the actionable intelligence

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