Three years since Covid-19 was classified as an international public health emergency, it has been revealed the pandemic – and subsequent lockdowns – had minimal impact on the quality of customer communications delivered by service providers across retail, financial services, utilities, and telecoms.
According to a survey of 2,000 UK consumers from Paragon Customer Communications, while the general view of customer communications was positive among respondents, service providers in the utilities sector were the focus of the most criticism.
A quarter of those questioned reported that Covid had a negative impact on their interactions with utility providers, compared with the least impacted industry, online banking companies (8%).
Findings from the retail industry highlight that customer experience varied within the sector. While ease of interaction decreased for all providers, supermarkets saw only a 10% reduction, despite this essential service being changed beyond recognition.
The report notes that online retailers – which were beyond the restrictions imposed on in-person businesses – were not exempt from a decrease in ease of interaction. And, although it is a small decrease (0.5), this indicates that online retail is also subject to in-person retail trends.
The results also demonstrate the extent to which Covid changed consumer attitudes towards their finances, with 72% of consumers saying they interacted with a wealth management provider. Related to this, perceptions of online banking providers were very positive: 21% of respondents reported increased satisfaction, making this the most successful sector of all when it comes to perception.
Paragon Customer Communications communications director David Taylor said: “While the pandemic caused a seismic shift in our way of life, our research has challenged this perception when it comes to customer experience. On the whole, customers did not notice a difference in the quality of the service they received, despite providers grappling with the most significant global event in a century.
“This is a testament to the value of adaptability: most consumers were satisfied with their customer service experiences because businesses had the capabilities to quickly transition to digital services. We now know that most providers get it right, and now that we are three years on from the start of the pandemic, Covid cannot be used as an excuse to deliver substandard experiences.”
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