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Follow on Google News | London 2012: a customer service legacy- Two thirds of UK consumers believe the Olympics delivered an excellent customer experience to visitors. - 51% of consumers in London and the South East feel that service in transport companies was better during the Olympics than at any other time.
By: The Institute of Customer Service London 2012: a customer service legacy - Two thirds of UK consumers believe the Olympics delivered an excellent customer experience to visitors. - 51% of consumers in London and the South East feel that service in transport companies was better during the Olympics than at any other time. - Almost half of consumers believe that the Olympics will have a positive legacy for customer service in the UK. - Yet, less than a third believe that the Olympic legacy will translate into better customer service performance. Despite a strong performance by service providers during the Games, many UK consumers are unsure if customer service will improve as a result of the Olympics, according to a new study by the Institute of Customer Service (ICS). The research, among 2,000 consumers, reveals that UK customers feel service improved or remained the same in the transport, retail and tourism industries during the Games. Yet, customers are cautious about the long-term impact of London 2012 on UK service standards. On track According to the research, almost three quarters (74%) of respondents in the areas most affected by the Olympics, namely London and the South East, believe that service providers delivered an excellent experience to visitors. Almost two thirds (62%) of consumers across the rest of the UK share this sentiment. When asked specifically about their customer service experiences of transport companies during the Games, more than half (52%) of respondents in London and the South East said they believe that service was better than at any other time. Only 4% of consumers in London and the South East, and 7% of respondents across the rest of the UK, feel that service in transport was worse during the Olympics. Similarly, few consumers report any negative service experiences from retailers during the Games. In fact, almost two thirds of UK respondents (65%), suggest that customer service in retail was of the same standard during the Olympics as at any other time. Only 7% of consumers across the UK feel that retail service was worse during the event. Customers in the tourism sector are similarly positive. Almost half of UK consumers report that service was the same (48%) or better (47%) than it had been prior to the Games. In the tourism industry, only 5% of respondents felt that service was worse during the Olympics. Crossing the finish line Notwithstanding the many successes of London 2012, consumers are unconvinced about the long-term impact of the Games on customer service quality in the UK. Almost half (49%) strongly believe that the Olympics had a positive legacy for customer service in the UK. But less than a third of all consumers (31%) believe that service will improve strongly as a result of the Olympics, while more than two thirds (69%) disagree or remain unconvinced. In London and the South East, only 36% strongly believe that the Olympics will improve the quality of UK customer service in the long term. This falls to less than a third (29%) across the rest of the UK. Jo Causon says, “Despite some scepticism in the lead up to the Games, the UK coped incredibly well with the service demands of the Olympics. This is a great reflection of what can be achieved when service providers increase focus on meeting customer expectations. “The challenge now is to ensure that the enthusiasm and outstanding service experienced during the summer continues long after the excitement of London 2012 has faded away.” Ends Further information For further information or an interview with Jo Causon, please contact: Lauren Greatorex or Xenia Kingsley at Man Bites Dog 01273 716 820 / xenia.kingsley@ About the Study The study from the Institute of Customer Service is based on opinion research among 2,000 UK consumers in October 2012 About the Institute of Customer Service The Institute of Customer Service is the professional body for customer service delivering tangible benefit to organisations and individuals so that our customers can improve their customers’ experience and their own business performance. The Institute is a membership body with a community of more than 300 organisational members - from the private, public and third sectors - and over 6,000 individual memberships. For more information about the Institute of Customer Service go to: www.instituteofcustomerservice.com End
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