• by Ray Schultz , February 9, 2022

A startling 86% of consumers will abandon a brand after two or three bad experiences — and 49% have done so in the last 12 months, according to a new trans-Atlantic study from software provider Emplifi: 11 key things consumers expect from their brand experiences today, conducted by Harris Interactive.  

Of the shoppers polled, 15% in the U.S. will drop a brand after a single bad encounter, versus 20% in the UK. And 66% of U.S. consumers will bolt after two or three such experiences, as will 70% in the UK. 

But 61% will pay a premium of at least 5% more in return for an outstanding customer experience. That willingness jumps to 65% in the U.S., while covering these products and experiences: 

• A restaurant meal — 73%
• A holiday vacation — 69%
• A mobile phone — 63%
• A car — 60%
• A cosmetic item — 58%

UK choices are similar, although only 56% would pay a premium. 

On the negative side, U.S. consumers will leave a brand for the following reasons:

• Poor product quality — 64%
• Poor customer experience — 63%
• Lack of social responsibility — 35%
• Limited product range — 38%
• Poor brand image — 36% 

Here are the conditions that drive negative feelings about a brand:

• They don't respond to my messages quickly — 31%
• Their customer service isn’t available 24/7 — 26%
• They don’t share my values — 17%
• They don’t provide product and service recommendations — 13%
• They don’t ask for my feedback — 12%

Regarding message response, 52% expect brands to respond to customer service inquiries via digital channels within an hour. The channels include social media (22%), email (19%) and website chat (16%).  

And 10% in the U.S. want to a response within five minutes.  

The result of these dissatisfaction levels is that 53% have left a brand to which they have been loyal in the last 12 months, along with 45% in the U.K. 

Harris Interactive surveyed 1.064 consumers in the U.S. and 1,035 in the U.K. in November 2021.