A survey commissioned by a consumer experiences company and conducted by Harris Interactive found that 87% of online consumers had problems while conducting transactions and nearly half of them dropped out following poor resolution of the online issue. The point – customers drop out following poor customer service (which is a good enough reason for a customer to fall out whether the issue is online or offline). Hence the issue here is not “online backlash” perhaps as much as it is a backlash against sloppy support service. Most companies look to provide customer service by email or chat and phone support is becoming a premium perk. In such circumstances, consumers expect a full understanding of the problem and quick resolution of the issue , not extended “walk-through-problem-resolution-sessions.”, extended holdtimes and a usually tedious identity verification process.
Online companies ought to set standards for response times by email or chat and also train phone support reps to be outstanding. Perhaps, companies could start making customers pay for premium telephone support for ecommerce transactions (so long as the support provided is 100% satisfaction guaranteed). Fortunately, travel companies are ahead of the game most of the time and treat customer service with the seriousness it deserves online. Who said the Internet is a problem-solver?