Delivering the best customer experience is crucial to the success of online retailers and by optimising the 'moments' and things that matter most to customers, online retailers can deliver superior experiences.
However, according to new research by experience management company Qualtrics, a significant proportion of online shoppers believe their feedback never reaches someone who can enact change. In a global research study, Qualtrics surveyed 1,700 online shoppers including respondents from Australia and New Zealand.
When it comes to online shopping, customers believe their feedback is overlooked nearly half of the time (40%), regardless of whether complaints are given via social media, surveys, or made directly to staff.
Online shoppers have high expectations for how promptly online retailers should reply to questions and complaints.
46% of online shoppers expect a response to their social media posts on the day of posting while the majority of online shoppers expect a response within a few days (82%). The Qualtrics research also revealed how the experiences of others can affect new customer acquisition for online retailers, finding that for 61% of shoppers, their expectations about online retailers are set through social media or referrals from family and friends. Qualtrics CX principal consultant Vicky Katsabaris says, "Retailers must ensure they are continually collecting, analysing, and acting on feedback given by online shoppers.
"Feedback will not only identify potential areas for business growth and further success but will also highlight areas for improvement.
"Retailers may amplify a shopper's negative experience if they fail to act on feedback and risk unnecessarily losing customers without an opportunity to regain their loyalty," she says. "When online retailers receive feedback, they must act fast for customers to feel their voices have been heard and their suggestions considered." Katsabaris says that by seeking customer feedback and acting on that feedback companies can establish greater brand loyalty.
"You are more likely to optimise your brand's image when customers feel valued, heard and understood. "Businesses should continually review the customer experiences they are delivering as there are always improvements to be made, which can improve your position in the eyes of consumers.
