Consumers have had enough of bad service being blamed on Covid, new study finds

People across Greater Manchester are fed up with bad customer service being blamed on Covid, new research has suggested.

According to the UK Institute of Customer Service, the number of complaints about poor service in the last six months has reached the highest levels since 2009.

Companies are being accused of using the Covid pandemic as an excuse for shoddy customer service, long waits on the telephone and late deliveries, the study found. 

The sectors with the biggest issues are transport, and local public services, such as GP surgeries, councils and police services and telecommunications.

@austindistel / Unsplash

The survey, which quizzed 10,000 participants, also detailed how at the start of the pandemic, consumers were tolerant of delays and other issues as businesses fought to cope with the effects of the crisis.

But now that several months have passed, the excuse is no longer deemed as sufficient.

Jo Causon, the CEO of the Institute of Customer Service, said: “Saying ‘because of Covid’ is not a good phrase. Organisations must not hide behind this blanket statement.”

As for a solution?

@glenncarstenspeters / Unsplash

Well, Causon said that retailers simply need to be honest with their customers about any potential delays so they are aware of how long they might have to wait to inform their decision about what to buy.

She did admit, however, that many businesses had responded admirably to the difficulties created by the pandemic, and that managed queuing systems – such as inviting people to call at quieter times – was one major area of success.

Causon also pointed out that other companies had actually gone out of their way to assist people during the crisis, and that delays in deliveries can be blamed on the Suez Canal crisis in March, not bad customer service.