How ‘no support’ brands have taught customers to love customer service

Quality of service is now more important to customers than price according to research from Econsultancy.  61 per cent of customers polled said that a positive service experience during their purchase is a defining factor which sways them to complete the transaction.  In comparison, 55 per cent say that price is crucial for influencing their buying habits.

Although the figures are only slightly in favour of service, they are particularly encouraging given the continued economic malaise and solidifies the idea that customers have become accustomed to quality service.  Crucially, it shows they now understand that service has a value, and a cost.  

The results suggest that leading service providers such as Amazon, John Lewis and Apple have successfully proved the concept that customers will pay a premium for real service, and all of us working in a support capacity should be thankful to them for helping elevate our industry. 

However, should we be giving equal thanks to the ‘no service’ brands for helping educate consumers?  Most obviously, budget airlines have built their businesses around the principle that the ‘niceties’ of flight - the level of support that travellers had been accustomed to previously - have a price tag.  By stripping away the service and attaching a price tag to previously ‘basic’ provision, budget airlines have shown customers that everything a supplier offers incurs a charge.  

Budget supermarkets have performed a similar role.  Yes, you can still buy milk, veg and bread, but the ‘help yourself’ warehouse feel to shopping which culminates with a cashier throwing the items at you, without the offer of free carrier bags, has shown consumers that the lower prices come at a cost.

Purchasing of goods seems on the surface to be a simple, empty transaction: the exchange of currency for goods.  But customers have a much greater emotional response to their experiences than most of us credit.  Elite service providers have shown consumers what it feels like to be valued and supported at every stage of a purchase, while low-cost alternatives have shown the polar opposite.  And the good news for the service industry is that despite most people being short of disposable cash, they will still find the funds in exchange for a positive shopping experience.