In its 15th Annual Mystery Shopping Study, the e-tailing group has announced nine merchants that offer the best customer service, out of the top 100.
Winners include (in alphabetical order):
- Crutchfield
- Footlocker
- Frontgate
- Godiva
- Office Depot
- Room & Board
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Victoria’s Secret
- Zappos
These merchants are answering emails quicker and displaying their customer service phone numbers more prominently.
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Some key overall improvements for all 100 merchants reviewed included:
- Return authorizations were required less often (15% vs. 22%);
- Prepaid labels were provided more often (55% vs. 51%);
- Prepaid return labels were included in the packing carton (78% vs. 65%); and
- Email response turnaround time decreased (22 hours vs. 31 hours and 27 minutes).
“While assortments can get a customer to visit, it’s imperative to remember that service will keep them coming back,” said Lauren Freedman, President of the e-tailing group. “We encourage all retailers to shop their own sites and test all available communication channels to ensure the service they deliver is truly aligned with their brand values.”
Findings from the mystery shopping study will be summarized in a report that will be available mid-February.
