Consumer dissatisfaction is rising in the US, and it’s easy to understand why. Surveys show that shoppers are increasingly unsatisfied with their shopping experiences, particularly when it comes to the level of assistance they receive. With prices increasing due to inflation, it makes sense that consumers would be dissatisfied. However, there’s more to consider than just inflation when it comes to the long-term impacts of this trend.
Inflation plays a part
Inflation continues to plague Americans’ grocery runs and financial plans. According to the US Labor Department, the annual inflation rate up to February 2023 is 6%. At the same time, that is lower than it was for 2021, 7%, but still much higher than at any point before 2020. 74% of consumers reported having an issue with a product, based on a survey of 1000 people. That number was 12% higher in 2022 compared to 2020.
Increased prices at the grocery store are putting millions of Americans through financial hardships. That alone is bound to increase consumers’ frustration with any shopping experience. Add to that the reports, accurate or not, of companies artificially inflating prices, and one can see how consumers feel wronged. This was reflected in the National Customer Rage Survey, but higher prices aren’t the only reason consumers feel left out to dry.
Customer support is its own nightmare
One of the main issues consumers are pointing out as a source of dissatisfaction is the quality of customer care. According to reports, Americans are feeling pushed aside when trying to resolve an issue. Part of the problem with customer care has to do with outsourcing.
A lot of customer care today takes place over the phone. If you’ve had to call a company about a product, you’ll know most interactions now take place with automated systems. Even companies that have human representatives on payroll to help out rely heavily on automated call menus for customers.
On the one hand, it’s understandable from a corporate point of view. Consumers call in, and the automated system helps determine what they want. But even if the reason a customer calls about has a relatively simple solution, people don’t like interacting with machines. And when customers do get through to a representative, it’s highly likely to be someone in a different state or country.
Mounting dissatisfaction leads to resentment
Customers don’t feel as though their issues are being resolved effectively when speaking to people who don’t fully understand their situation. Add to that that they probably had to wait on hold for a frustrating amount of time, and they’re probably feeling more contempt for whichever company or product they’re dealing with by the time a representative gets on the line.
Technology has changed the way we live and interact, but the situation with customer dissatisfaction in America points to some of tech adoption’s mounting challenges. It may be true the US consumer base has grown beyond companies’ capabilities to properly address. However, if that’s the case, we need to find a middle ground to avoid consumer dissatisfaction or at least alleviate it.
As consumers grow less satisfied with the service they receive, they also grow more resentful towards the companies they interact with. Removing personable customer assistance dehumanizes a corporation and facilitates people feeling rage towards them. One thing we can all agree on is we need a better system for resolving issues; we’ll see how that plays out in the near future as technology continues its takeover of our daily lives.