Sick of slow service, customers walk
by Virginia Galt
Globe and Mail Update
Canadian consumers are so tired of waiting . in bank lineups,
in grocery stores, in department stores for service, that most
- at some point - have walked out without completing their business,
according to a survey released Tuesday.
"Canadian consumers are abandoning their shopping carts, delaying
purchases and leaving stores, public transit stops and restaurants
in significant numbers," marketing research firm, Maritz Research
Canada, said in releasing the results of an online poll of more
than 1,300 adult Canadians.
"A whopping 86 per cent of participants polled admitted to walking
out of a store frustrated with having waited too long for service,"
said Maritz, which advises companies on how to improve their performance.
Department stores lose the greatest amount of business because
of frustrated customers leaving empty-handed, with 78 per cent
of survey respondents indicating that they have left a department
store because of long waiting times.
Maritz reported that 40 per cent have left grocery stores without
buying anything because of impatience with slow service, 50 per
cent have walked out of a medical waiting room, 54 have left a
bank without conducting a transaction, 54 have walked out of a
convenience store, and 58 per cent of survey respondents complained
that they gave up waiting for fast service in a fast-food restaurant.
The firm found that 64 per cent had abandoned waits for public
transit.
However, tolerance for wait times varies. Survey respondents
said that eight minutes is a reasonable wait in a grocery store,
but after 15 minutes they would consider leaving.
However, these same participants would stay up to 81 minutes
before considering leaving a medical institution and would wait
up to 22 minutes before considering leaving a public transit stop
and finding alternate transportation.
Customers were also more forgiving and inclined to wait longer
if they are greeted with a smile, given an estimate of how much
longer they would have to wait or "if they felt compassion or
apologies were offered," Maritz said.
Rob Daniel, president and managing director of Maritz Research
Canada, said retailers should keep in mind that customers
frustrated by long waits will go to the competition.
They are also inclined to rant.
"Close to 70 per cent of customers surveyed told others about
their negative experience and half of those polled noted that
they had at some point posted a negative experience online," Maritz
reported.
The survey did not directly address issues such as short-staffing,
and did not test the views of employees who are tasked with serving
these impatient consumers.
"The poll indicates that businesses that introduce extended customer
service tactics like offering refreshments, music or reading materials
may encourage customers to stay long enough to complete their
purchase," Maritz advised retailers and other service providers.
