UK brands struggle with customer feedback as online sales surge

Brands who value and act upon feedback after requesting the opinions of their customers are gaining a significant advantage over their competitors, according to research from Feefo.

At the same time, however, many people in the UK feel firms are less likely to acknowledge and apologise online for negative experiences, compared to a year ago. 

Feefo surveyed 2,003 Brits and found that 97% now read online reviews before buying, and 32% shared negative feedback online after using a service or purchasing a product. 

On average, consumers expect a response within two days and 43% of Brits feel companies have got worse at dealing with negative feedback over the past 12 months. 

We’re incredibly excited about the future of Feefo as we’ve recently acquired consumer reviews business, @Reevoo!

Our new blog answers your questions on what this means for customers, including the exciting new services to help your business succeed.⭐https://t.co/CQeqcN6otz
— Feefo (@Feefo_Official) September 21, 2021

When people encounter a product or service with few or no negative online reviews, 32% delay their purchase, and a further 22% say they’re suspicious about whether they can trust any of the reviews. 

In fact, 26% of Brits say they actively seek out negative reviews first and 69% continue their purchase if the review has been acknowledged and responded to effectively. 

44% of those happy with how a brand had responded to their negative review say they went on to use the business again; 40% recommended the brand on social media; and a quarter raved about it to friends and family. 

In contrast, 58% of those unhappy with a response to their review refused to buy from the firm again, or criticised the brand publicly on social media (26%) or even across the wider news media (15%).

82% of those asked expect businesses to offer a transparent explanation when issues arise. 35% reported that they’d become advocates for brands who they felt were open with them about why a problem came about.

Whilst customers appreciate transparency and recognise that an issue can be out of a company’s control, 36% are left disappointed if a brand does not apologise.

Feefo’s CEO and Chairman, Tony Wheble, says “The pandemic has seen millions of businesses shift to a digital first model of customer interaction. This has been transformative for many, but it’s clear some have struggled to cope with the volume of feedback they’re getting.”

“Customers spend their time leaving valuable feedback; having a clear strategy for managing reviews and responding to criticism is critical and can help make your business become even stronger so you can stand out from your competitors. ‘Don’t ignore, engage’, would be the mantra I would follow.”

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