Customer Dis-Service

If you have a miserable experience at a store, chances are, you might never go back. According to Consumer Reports magazine, 64% of US consumers walked out of stores due to poor assistance and 67% hung up on a call before their problems were even addressed. The biggest gripe? Not being able to get a person on the phone. That was followed by rude salespeople.

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club were ranked by the magazine's subscribers among the worst in areas such as buying small appliances, electronics, cell phones and groceries. Wal-mart and Sam's Club also ranked at the bottom when it came to buying computers. After all, it is a warehouse store, not a boutique. The best stores for computer-smart sales people? Apple and Micro Center, said the magazine. See Retail Bulletin: NumBytes 12: Apple of Productivity's Eye (June 17, 2011) for what goes on in the Apple stores. The Wal-Mart CEO might want to take notice, considering Wal-Mart's same store sales have dropped for the past eight quarters.

Does fielding a store full of smart, pleasant staff work? Sure does. According to an American Express survey of 1,018 consumers in February 2011, 70% will spend more time with a company that provides good customer service. And before chains point to all those wonderful web and social media enhancements, know that the survey found that while 67% of respondents would be fine starting with the company website, 90% want their inquiries handled by a live person over the telephone (only 20% wanted automated response systems on the phone). Also know that about 75% were very or somewhat interested in dealing face to face.