Consumer survey taps into service ire

Just how frustrated are Americans with the state of customer service?

According to a new Consumer Reports’ survey, 65 percent are “tremendously annoyed” by rude salespeople and 64 percent of respondents said that they had left a store in the previous 12 months because of poor service. 

This survey is part of a larger investigation on customer service featured in the July issue of Consumer Reports and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

The report names Walmart among the worst in customer service for its retail service in eight out of 21 industries evaluated.

A Walmart spokesman says the retailer’s own surveys of a half million shoppers and members a month finds most are pleased with its services.

Consumer Reports also found that 71 percent of survey respondents were extremely irritated when they couldn’t reach a human on the phone.  Sixty-seven percent said they hung up the phone without getting their issue resolved.  

While brokerage firms, eyeglass retailers and pharmacies were among the highest-rated industries for service based on several years worth of subscriber-survey data analyzed by Consumer Reports National Research Center, computer tech support, TV, phone and Internet service providers earned some of the lowest scores.

In the report, Consumer Reports identifies the best and worst companies and service providers in each of 21 industries.  Walmart or Sam’s Club, and sometimes both, were among the worst in eight categories, including retailers for appliances, electronics, cell phones and supermarkets.  By comparison, Apple won praise for its retail service for cell phones, computers, computer tech support and electronics.