10 Customer service statistics you should know It’s no longer an option to not focus on optimizing your customer service, as consumers have increasing influence over social media platforms and other channels. These ten customer service statistics demonstrate why creating a positive customer service experience is more important than ever: Sixty-eight percent of businesses have increased the amount they spend on customer management for 2014. According to a CEI Survey, while 86 percent of buyers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience, only 1 percent of customers believe that businesses typically meet their expectations. Having issues resolved quickly is the most important factor for a great customer service experience, according to 82 percent of consumers. Reducing your customer defection rate by 5 percent can increase your profitability by 25 to 125 percent. When consumers use e-commerce, 71 percent of them expect assistance within five minutes, and 93 percent view real-time assistance as helpful. Thirty-seven percent of consumers will abandon their cart because of a question they’re not getting assistance on. The channels consumers most commonly use include in-person (61 percent), followed by email (85 percent), phone (81 percent) and Facebook (above 50 percent). Fifty-two percent of companies consider Facebook the most effective social channel for customer service. Customers are becoming more frustrated with the level of services they experience. 90 percent are frustrated with being put on hold for a long time. Companies lose as much as $900 per employee each year due to lost productivity from customer service wait times. Together, this adds up to $130 billion in annual expenses for American businesses. These statistics demonstrate just how important it is to maximize your business’ customer service experience. To improve your company’s customer service solutions and customer retention, consider working with a onshore customer service contact center that embraces the At-Home Agent business model.