Fifty-three percent (53%) of respondents said they were more empathetic toward service providers in 2021, and 18% even said they expected less from service providers following the onset of the pandemic. “We are all human and dealing with a pandemic, so I try to be polite,” said one female respondent from KwaZulu-Natal, aged between 25 and 34.
However, this increased empathy has not stopped some customer expectations from increasing as we head further into 2022. Several respondents said they were tired of hearing Covid used as an excuse for sub-par service from providers, with 14% saying they felt that service providers are now blaming the virus for their poor service.
“The truth is, there is no ‘new normal’. Life as we know it has changed drastically, but organisations and their partners should have been flexible enough to adapt by now. Consumer expectations have certainly returned to pre-Covid levels, and in some cases exceeded those,” explains Mat Conn, group CRO at Merchants. “While consumers may be more empathetic toward other human beings, they remain entitled, and expectant of, a personalised and seamless experience with their providers.”
A third of respondents said they expect more from service providers following the pandemic – and 16% even said they were less patient. “With everyone working from home, I expect to be assisted in a quick and efficient manner,” said one female respondent from the Western Cape, aged between 35 and 49. “I always expect service providers to strive to improve their service,” said one male respondent from Gauteng, aged between 25 and 34.
When it came to contact centre staff specifically, 46% said their perceptions had shifted after 2020 – specifically because contact centre agents were operating as essential workers during the hard lockdown. “Through the hardest times, contact centre agents made sure we still received service. They pushed to keep customers happy and hold on to their jobs at the same time,” said one female respondent from Gauteng, aged between 25 and 34.
For the majority of the sample, it only takes between two and five bad experiences for them to switch service providers – so businesses and their customer experience partners need to ensure they are investing in the right staff and prioritising the customer through all touchpoints.
“Customer experience is the only real differentiator for businesses in today’s world,” says Conn. “Those organisations who are not investing heavily into this will become redundant as soon as next year.”
