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.