British tired of poor customer service

A recent study from Enterprise Rent-A-Car discovered 62 percent of U.K. shoppers say if they receive poor customer service once they will not buy from that company again. U.K. shoppers also prefer customer service agents get the basic information right, rather than add special extras while offering poor customer service.

In terms of what defines good customer service, 84 percent of shoppers said being helpful and responsive, and 75 percent valued quick problem resolution. The most common factors annoying British shoppers were rude and unfriendly service, as well as untimely problem solving.

Mike Nigro, U.K. managing director of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, said the results of the study highlight how important quality customer service is to a company's growth and profits. Customers who are dissatisfied can choose to shop elsewhere, as well as share their experience online for other customers to review prior to purchasing.

Thus, it is important for retailers to hire and train quality employees and customer service agents. The Boyden Excecutive Outlook from Boyden Global Executive Search found that the retail industry, specifically ecommerce, is booming and hiring new workers at all levels of the company. Brands are reformatting to invent a digital presence with online stores and social networking sites, and highly-skilled employees are coveted for these roles.

“The future of fast moving consumer goods and retail companies lies in the business models that better adapt to these challenging times and with top executives who can drive these business models,” said Dirk Friederich, a managing partner at Boyden Frankfurt.