The ability to listen is a seriously underrated quality and it’s a skill that not all businesses have mastered. Despite the many channels, tools, and technology available to enable us to really hear what our customers are telling us, we still often just skim the surface.

The ability to listen can be the catalyst for cultivating satisfied and loyal customers or for creating a level of frustration that can only be relieved by customers walking away.

A headshot of Katie Stabler

Katie Stabler

So why, when listening to our customers is so incredibly invaluable, do organizations still fall short?

Here, Katie Stabler explores some of the lesser-discussed reasons that a business might be unable to hear what its customers have to say.

The 2023 UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) was published a few weeks ago and showed the lowest score since 2015, with such a sharp drop in satisfaction, the likes of which have not been seen since 2008. As a customer, there's nothing more frustrating than receiving subpar service or experiencing a product that doesn't meet your expectations. As a business, low customer satisfaction leads to negative reviews, increased cost to serve, lost customers and a loss of customer wallet share (CWS). That's why the results of the 2023 UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) are so concerning.

This gloomy news is of course, disappointing, but it's also an opportunity for businesses to learn and re-evaluate their customer service strategies and make improvements.

Why you should reduce The Power Of The Few to grow The Influence Of The Many

Close your eyes and think about the last time you transacted with a small business, an independent hustle or a new startup. Did you open your delivery to find a personalised thank you note? Was the last email you read from them quirky, interesting, or fun?

Did the customer service person you spoke to take the time to listen, understand your needs and talk to you like a friend?

Are you smiling?

That’s the startup magic, the special something that small businesses have, that fresh-faced independent’s ooze. It’s personality and care which creates an impactful customer experience.

Customer Experience has been a hot topic for years (and rightly so), yet despite us knowing how valuable an expertly designed, delivered and cultivated Customer Experience is, so few companies weave the assurance of that experience delivery into their regular practice. 93% of customers are likely to make a repeat purchase with a company that offers excellent customer service (HubSpot), but how do we know if we are delivering excellent customer service? It’s not by ticking a box when an agent completes a data protection check or when they shared the T&C’s (despite how important that may be, that isn’t why a customer would refer you to a friend!).