It's the No. 1 cause of defection. It should come as no surprise that two of the top four causes of customer frustration are directly connected with completing a transaction. A long order process, which often can be compounded by slow processing speed, is the leading cause of dissatisfaction. Simple shopping cart malfunctions are not far behind. Nearly three out of every four shopping carts were abandoned during the holidays.
Research consistently proves that online consumers feel the Web lacks adequate customer support.
As a result, the consumer has to work to get a problem solved. Despite some of the technological advances in customer support such as live chat and advanced auto e-mail replies, only one out of every two shoppers has ever used the customer support offered on a Web site. What online customer support for the retailing industry needs right now is a serious shot of proactive effect that goes beyond expensive technology solutions. Convenience is the No. 1 perceived advantage of online shopping. Of all the things that should be convenient, customer support clearly tops the list.