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TLC completes pioneering research study into customer perceptions of call centres

10 May 2007

TLC has completed its groundbreaking study into consumers’ attitudes towards call centres; both in the UK and abroad with some revealing results.
The Listening Company interviewed 1000 UK consumers aged 18+ over the telephone and the key findings are listed below;

Key Findings

60% of all consumers interviewed maintained they will take business away from a company as a result of poor service from their call centre. While over 50% of consumers interviewed stated that when they called a call centre they felt it was important that they spoke with an agent and not a machine.

Consumers highlighted that long waits (36%) and complicated or too many automated responses (30%) are far more annoying than being passed from department to department, hold music or even unfriendly staff.
52% of all consumers interviewed in the UK think that information they give to call centres is not secure.

Lastly, only 42% of consumers stated that they were happy with a call centre that they are using being located abroad and nearly one third objected out of principle, even if the service was good.

Commenting on the research, Neville Upton, CEO , The Listening Company said:

“Call Centres are an extremely effective way to engage with consumers. It surprises me, with all the evidence linking consumer satisfaction to profitability, just how little some companies listen to their consumers. There is still an obsession with cost cutting, crass automation and using lower cost solutions which are often false economies and damage the brand. Businesses should be focusing on fast, efficient communication, using a medley of channels and technologies to exceed their customer’s expectations. This will deliver a delighted customer base at a lower cost. Companies need to start listening to their customers in order to truly understand what they want or they risk alienating them forever.”

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