Satisfaction with service providers: top or flop?
What about satisfaction with service providers? What do customers expect - also in a European comparison? Answers to these questions are provided by a representative survey commissioned by a major workwear service provider.
In private life, trade and parcel services or mobile phone providers often play an important role as service providers; in the work environment, it is suppliers, agencies or print shops. A new survey by CWS Workwear shows what services customers want now and in the future and how satisfied they are with providers. The survey was conducted in May 2021 by the market research company SKOPOS in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland.
Sustainability is important
The topic of sustainability also plays a major role in services: According to the survey, a sustainable orientation of service providers is important to the majority of respondents (86 %), mostly both privately and professionally. In a country comparison, Switzerland is a pioneer in sustainability, ahead of Austria (76 %) and Germany (69 %). For younger respondents under 40, a sustainable orientation of service providers is more important than for respondents in other age groups.
"Sustainable solutions are becoming increasingly important not only for products but also for services. Private convictions influence the expectations and preferences of customers when it comes to suppliers. We are noticing this more and more," explains Juliana Scherrmann, Head of Marketing at CWS Workwear, a leading service provider for workwear.
Regional service providers with personal advice preferred
In this context, the issue of regionality is also important to many: 65 % of respondents would prefer to support regional service providers. In Austria, the figure is as high as 74 %, while in the Netherlands it is only 46 %. At 83 %, the 40-49 age group attaches the greatest importance to a service provider's regionality. Added to this is the desire for personal advice: value is placed on a personal sales talk in all countries, most so in Switzerland (68 %). In Germany, 59 % want this and in Austria 64 %.
Customer orientation influences satisfaction with service providers
Strong customer orientation is important to the respondents and is not always perceived. More than a third, namely 39 %, are of the opinion that "The customer is king" is not lived by service providers, in Austria even 44 %. The Netherlands stands out positively here, where only 13 % are dissatisfied with customer orientation.
But customer expectations are not always met: One in five say they are even frequently dissatisfied with service providers. In a European comparison, the Germans are the most dissatisfied with 24 %, Switzerland with 19 %, and the Poles the most satisfied with only 17 % of regular dissatisfaction. The 25-29 year olds are the most dissatisfied of all age groups. Women (24 %) also tend to be more dissatisfied than men (18 %).
The main reasons given for dissatisfaction are poor quality of service, lack of competence and poor availability. 12 % also complain about unfriendly service providers; in Austria, the proportion is highest in a country comparison at 17 %, and lower in Switzerland at only 9 %. Younger respondents under the age of 40 are more likely to deal with unfriendly service providers, with 25-29 year-olds in particular complaining about unfriendliness from service providers, at 22 %.
Highest satisfaction with service providers in the hotel and catering industry
Gastronomy and hotel services are rated best by respondents compared to other service industries with 90 % satisfaction - in Switzerland with 86 %. With cosmetic and hairdressing services 89 % are satisfied, in Austria even 95 %. In Switzerland, the figure is only 84 %. There are clear country differences in the case of automotive service providers: In the Netherlands, 82 % of respondents are satisfied, in Poland 75%. In Switzerland, satisfaction with automotive services is 82 %.
Handicraft occupations achieve a similar result to motor vehicle services (81 %) on average across the country, with 80 % satisfied respondents. Handicrafts achieve the highest satisfaction among respondents in the Netherlands (86 %). Satisfaction with craft service providers is lowest in Germany and Belgium (78 %). In Switzerland, satisfaction is 80 %.
Across all countries, a quarter of respondents are rather dissatisfied with parcel services. In Germany and Austria, 69 % are satisfied with their deliverers, while in Switzerland, 76 % are satisfied. Bringing up the rear overall in the satisfaction ranking of the service sectors are mobile communications companies and Internet providers with 71 % and marketing service providers with 69 % satisfied respondents. The proportion of dissatisfied respondents in Switzerland is as high as 36 % (mobile communications and Internet providers) and 40 % (marketing).
Source: CWS-boco Suisse SA
