Customers in the U.S. have hit unprecedented levels of customer service problems, and Americans have become increasingly aggressive in their efforts to address those issues, according to new data.
The spike in dissatisfaction from consumers is caused by multiple factors, and consumers should keep that in mind when choosing where and how to direct their complaints, according to experts.
A recent survey was released by Arizona State University's W.P. Americans are experiencing record-high problems with products and services, with 74% of customers reporting issues, up from 66% in 2020 and 56% in 2017 based on data from the Carey School of Business.
The report shows customer anger has gone up as well.
The survey shows that customer rage remains steady at 63%, but the percentage of people seeking revenge over their poor experience has tripled to 9%, from 3% in 2020.
Amas Tenumah, a customer service consultant and author of Waiting for Service: An Insider's Account of Why Customer Service is Broken Tips To Avoid Bad Service, says there are a number of factors that are contributing to the decline in customer service in the U.S.
Tenumah told FOX Business that customer service has deteriorated in the U.S. for decades due to companies' cost-cutting measures. The increased use of ineffective automated systems has exacerbated the problems, and the labor shortage brought on by the pandemic has been an accelerating factor in recent years.
There is a big disconnect between what companies see as good customer service and what consumers expect.
Tenumah says 80% of companies think their customer service is going well, while only 8% of customers agree. He points out that chatbots have a 75% failure rate, yet they are the fastest growing channel among businesses.
He recommends that customers start voting with their wallets to get attention by refusing to spend money at businesses where they have bad experiences rather than returning to businesses as many do.
He says you should think about a Friday night when you go out to eat. You will notice that it is the same national brands that have disappointed you time and time again. Tenumah says consumers are often seduced by fancy marketing of major companies, and resistance to change keeps people from trying smaller, more service-oriented competitors.
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He says that the best way to rectify a bad customer service experience is to complain directly to the top rather than take it out on front-line workers, who Tenumah says tend to agree with customers but are beholden to company policies.
If you think the company you're doing business with is treating you badly, wait until I tell you about how they treat service workers, said Tenumah. Service workers in particular are often underpaid and overworked.
He suggests either confronting a company directly, not employees, on its social media pages or writing a letter to the firm's top executives. He says that when enough messages reach those in charge, companies are forced to listen.
While evidence shows customer service has declined, Tenumah believes that civility is at an all-time low and contributing to the problem.
We are a bit cranky, right? He said something. There are all of these sociological things going on that make us a little more antsy. The public is in a state of unease.