effluvia blogged: Customer service should not be taken lightly

10/23/2012 at 9:58 am by The Sage ERP Team

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

When it comes to choosing an internet or cable provider, having the latest technology is certainly important. However, a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey indicated that innovation should not come at the expense of good customer relationship management (CRM).

"Customers are less sensitive than one might think about always having access to the latest technologies and the social influences of their friends and family," Dan Hays, U.S. wireless advisory leader at PwC, recently told Marketing Daily. "Do their problems get solved? They want a good value, but value doesn't always win out."

The survey of more than 1,000 Americans found that, while nearly three-quarters of people appreciate up-to-date technology, 93 percent of respondents did not say it was in their top three priorities. Instead, consumers are interested in factors like reputation, good prices and top-notch customer service. Speed and reliability were also important, as 90 percent of respondents said it is key when choosing an internet provider.

In a recent blog for 4Hoteliers, Kevin Dwyer, a change management specialist at Australia-based EQmentor, advised companies not to forget to forget about the importance of good customer relations. He cited a 2009 report, which found that the top 16 industries worldwide lost nearly $340 billion per year due to poor CRM strategies.

Long waits or frustration with automated services were two of the most-cited reasons people switched brands. Dwyer cited his own annoyance with a taxi company's automated phone system that apparently could not understand his accent.

In addition to better customer service, enterprises may want to look to more innovative strategies to separate themselves from competitors. A recent Finextra Research blog advocated loyalty programs, for instance, as a way to keep people coming back, even offering personalized rewards or coupons based on individual interests.