Social media catalyst for escalating customer complaints

Over a quarter of customers are complaining more now they can use social media to communicate with brands but organisations aren’t listening, new research has shown.

According to the poll of 2,000 customers by customer interaction management provider Eptica, 17.5% of complaints are unanswered whilst 83% of those that have complained are unsatisfied with the response they received.

Nearly a quarter of respondents believed that by complaining on social media they were likely to receive a quicker response but felt “let down” by the company.

The research also showed that alongside ignoring complaints, they are also ignoring simple questions with 81% of consumers claiming they never received “acceptable answers” to the questions they posted on social media.

Dee Roche, global marketing director at Eptica, said: “Customers are embracing social media for customer service – but the vast majority of companies are deaf to what they are saying. Our research uncovered a real desire by consumers to use the speed and immediacy of social media to interact with companies only to see their requests shockingly ignored.

“Not answering basic questions is essentially slamming the shop door in the face of potential customers. Social media provides a megaphone through which complaints aired by unhappy customers can quickly escalate. Companies need to put in place a proper strategy for social customer service, before consumers vote with their feet.”