Jewelers did beat accountants and exterminators

Less than a third of U.S. consumers expressed satisfaction with the way jewelers handle phone calls, according to a new survey conducted on behalf of PH Media Group, an audio branding company.

Nine percent of customers surveyed described themselves as “very satisfied” with the way jewelers handled phone calls, and 20 percent said they were “fairly satisfied,” for a total of 29 percent satisfaction.

On the plus side, jewelers tied for second among the 10 trades surveyed. Jewelers’ phone manner registered on par with that of real estate agents and delivery services, but below that of insurance companies (41 percent satisfaction).

The survey measured “every aspect of phone manner, the way calls are answered, and automated elements like on-hold marketing,” says a PH Media spokesperson. “Jewelers did pretty well, but scores were low across the board.”

Mark Williamson, sales director of PH Media Group, says the results show that too few businesses pay attention to how they sound.

“Customer service expectations continue to become more demanding, and there is pressure on companies to ensure every touchpoint with their customers is carefully managed to minimize potential damage to reputation,” he says. “[That] can start with [businesses] providing training to staff on best practice for answering phone calls and establishing guidelines that ensure each call is handled in a manner that fits within the ethos and image of the practice. … It is essential to give consideration to what customers hear when they call up out of hours, when they are passed through to an employee’s voicemail and particularly when they are placed on hold.”

Jewelers were ranked as having better phone manner than car dealers (28 percent satisfied), exterminators (26 percent), legal service companies (25 percent), accountant firms (24 percent), building companies (22 percent), and architects (20 percent).

Rob Bates

JCK News Director