Are you being served?

There's nothing like face to face contact apparently. According to research by Vertex, high street retail shops deliver better customer service than any other sector including their online counterparts. In sharp contrast, Central Government agencies are the least likely to offer good service. In fact, some 55% of people distrust Central Government agencies.

Paul Sweeny, Chief Executive Officer at Vertex commented: “Although customer engagement is more complex than ever it’s important not to lose sight of the one consistent factor that makes for a great experience – the capabilities of the organisation’s people. In our experience, motivated, empowered and passionate customer service personnel make the biggest contribution to a brand’s satisfaction scores.”

I have to say I think it's a bit of a sweeping statement. The hatchet-faced woman who scowled her way through 'helping' me with a purchase in Habitat last week certainly wouldn't be getting any customer service plaudits from me; on the other hand, the incredibly helpful woman in Debenhams would. But no arguments from me on the public sector front. Misery training is clearly a prerequisite for anyone in a citizen-facing role there...