Global Customer Satisfaction Level Dips In Q4 Of 2013

Global customer satisfaction slipped by two percentage points to 80% in the fourth quarter of 2013, while in the UK the decline was more pronounced – dropping by four percentage points to 83%, The Zendesk Benchmark report shows.

The research from the customer service software firm suggests that this is a yearly trend, as the fourth quarter is generally the busiest period for many industries. In the final quarter of 2013, the retail and travel sectors were particularly vulnerable, seeing a significant spike in the level of negative customer service experience due to the increase in clients the holiday season brings.

The report, which is based on interactions between 16,000 organisations and their customers spanning 125 countries, revealed a six point decline in satisfaction levels in the retail sector to 76%, compared to a two point decline in satisfaction the previous year. Zendesk commented that while end-of-year festive shopping brings a spike in new customers, this increase in activity usually leads to a simultaneous drop in customer satisfaction, as retailers find it hard to address every service and support issue encountered by the extra clients.

The travel, hospitality and tourism industry was also affected, suffering a seven-point dip in customer satisfaction, to 75%.

The IT services and consultancy industry led the global industry chart in October-December, enjoying a 96% satisfaction level. Non-profit and government industries were the second-best performer, with 95%, followed by real estate with 94%.

The worst performing sectors were social media (69%), travel and tourism (75%) and gaming (76%).