New research reports that consumers no longer respond to long surveys that fall on “deaf ears”
SAN MATEO, Calif., October 25th, 2018—Medallia, Inc. (www.medallia.com), the global leader in customer experience management, today announced the findings of its latest study titled “Customer Engagement Now: Real Time is the Right Time.” Today’s consumers have become accustomed to instantaneous services and subscriptions, and they want to give brands real-time feedback across multiple digital channels to improve their overall brand experience.
Forty-four percent of respondents have abandoned a customer feedback survey without completing it, primarily because of its length. Of those who abandoned a survey, 57 percent did so because it was too long. Fifty-one percent of the respondents reported ignoring a customer survey because the company didn’t make enough of an effort to resolve past issues. In fact, 52 percent of consumers report that a negative experience in the past year could have been improved if they had the opportunity to give real-time feedback and the brand took immediate action.
“Consumers have spoken and they want convenient, real-time access to brands across multiple digital channels, and they want the opportunity to give brands real-time feedback,” said Emma Sopadjieva, Head of Research, Medallia. “Today, experiences are won or lost in the moment they occur. Brands need to be able to engage with consumers on the right channel, at the right time, and provide a seamless digital experience. Brands that do not, will suffer.”
Consumers want to communicate with brands across multiple digital channels, such as a brand’s mobile app, email, connected devices, social media, messaging apps and online reviews. What’s more, respondents demand an impressive set of capabilities from these channels: 35% of consumers want to be able to ask questions about a service or product through real-time messaging, the same proportion want to give product or service feedback through a brand’s mobile app, while about 20 percent of consumers would like to live chat with a representative through a connected device.
“Today’s connected consumers expect flawless experiences regardless of channel and many brands are falling short,” said Leslie Stretch, CEO, Medallia. “If brands manage to be everywhere their customers are in real time, then they will be able to influence the customer experience while it’s happening for the better. That’s very powerful, and we can help brands do that.”
Other key findings:
- Traditional forms of collecting feedback are no longer effective: Long, convoluted surveys are no longer getting the job done and customers often believe their feedback will never be read or acted upon. The study found that 46 percent of UK and 41 percent of US respondents have abandoned a customer feedback survey without completing it.
- Consumers today want real-time assistance: In an era of instant gratification, it’s imperative to engage customers in real-time conversations to address customer problems the instant they arise. Of the US respondents, 79 percent expect the ability to contact a customer representative immediately when they need help.
- Consumers demand seamless and convenient omnichannel experiences: Sixty-six percent expect the ability to provide feedback about products and services on the channel they are currently using, while 63 percent expect easy transitions between channels when they engage with a business.
- Consumers expect brands to treat them as individuals and anticipate their needs: Three-in-five consumers would like companies to personalize communications based on what they know about their past experiences with the brand, while 49 percent of consumers would like brands to offer help before they have asked for it themselves.
Methodology:
Medallia commissioned a panel survey of 3,000 consumers from three countries — the U.S. (1,000), the U.K. (1,000), and Australia (1,000). The collected sample was matched to the census of each country on age and gender.
To view the full report visit “Customer Engagement Now: Real Time is The Right Time.”
About Medallia
Medallia’s vision is simple: to create a world where companies are loved by customers and employees alike. Hundreds of the world’s largest companies and organizations trust Medallia’s cloud platform to help them capture customer feedback everywhere the customer is (on the phone, in store, online, mobile), understand it in real-time, and deliver insights and action everywhere—from the C-suite to the frontline—to improve their performance. Medallia has offices in Silicon Valley, New York, London, Paris, Sydney, Buenos Aires, and Tel Aviv. Learn more at www.medallia.com.
© 2018 Medallia, Inc. All rights reserved. Medallia®, the Medallia logo, and the names and marks associated with Medallia’s products are trademarks of Medallia.
