Good customer service should always be at the top of the list. Whether you are a business owner or looking to use a business it’s one of if not the first thing customers check. A good or bad customer service rating can make or break a company. Gone are the days of spending hours on hold to a company when you need to get in contact; the face of customer service has changed to become instant and accessible. The #TimeToAviate campaign from Call Care looked at customer service across 10 airlines and airports, to determine who was able to offer the very best when it came to customer care. Here are three findings from the campaign that can help you decide who you would like to use or to take some tips for your own business.
Social media has made it easier to reach companies in different ways and they are keen to ensure quick response times on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. A poor social media response or complete lack of response can be the downfall of a company. The campaign found that Twitter was the best way to get in touch with your airline, especially Quantas and Lufthansa who respond in minutes. However Easy jet and British Airways were more hit and miss leaving a gap in their ability to keep customers happy.
Being able to ask questions and get responses quickly and without having to wait on hold is a brilliant option which is why live chat is so popular. Births Airways responded in just a minute so if you are looking to get hold of them, head to their live chat rather than Twitter. EasyJet is also responsive on live chat however the other airlines were a disappointment or didn’t have the live chat facility at all.
Sometimes you just want the reassurance of speaking to a real person and using the good old call method. It will come as no surprise that some of the companies fared much better than others. Emirates, Lufthansa, British Airways and KLM answered with the shortest wait times, whilst TUI was slower at 23 minutes. At the other end of the scale, Qantas took one hour 13 minutes, Virgin Atlantic took one hour 40 minutes and Qatar Airways didn’t answer their call at all.
Providing good customer service is always vital, but never more so than when businesses are struggling to meet expectations. During crises like the airlines and airports have recently been facing, companies that fail to make themselves available to customers who want information, advice or to provide feedback could easily see major damage to their reputations. As a customer, if you aren’t able to reach the business in a quick and easy way and feel like they are helping you are less likely to choose to use them again.
What do you look for in good customer service? Share your thoughts in the comments below.