Michel describes UK customer service as “Surly, slapdash and dreadful”. He says, "Even buying a newspaper you can find that you're not even acknowledged. There's no eye contact, no greeting or anything. Bad service is unforgivable and it's everywhere in the UK."
As shown in the last SnapShop blog entry - Animal – a customer service success story, customer service can be brilliant.
So is UK service really that bad and if so, why?
With the upcoming Royal wedding and 2012 Olympics international visitors are going to expect a warm welcome.
Competition to get the increasingly frugal customer to part with their money is strong, making customer service and customer relationships more important than ever.
If I receive bad service I will avoid that shop or website, and tell all my peers of my bad experience. With reports of decreasing sales retailers cannot afford to lose customers or the subsequent bad publicity.