When a customer has a problem, the experience of resolving the issue has a profound impact on future purchases. This effect has been amplified as social media and web review sites enable customer service experiences to be widely shared with friends, colleagues, and the general public. This report - based on a survey of 1046 individuals who have had experiences with the customer service of a mid-sized company - has quantified the long-term impact of customer service on business results. The survey clearly demonstrates the dramatic impact of customer service on the buying behaviours among customers, with good customer service being shown to result in increased personal and business purchases while bad customer service drives customers to find alternatives. Furthermore, customer service has a long-term impact on buying decisions, with customers continuing to be affected years after the initial interaction.

Via Tourism Australia