Apathy is governing customer allegiance

39% of subscribers have not switched to a new mobile operator because they believe there are no better alternatives.

Results from the Oracle Communications Customer Satisfaction Survey indicate that the majority of consumers who stick with their current mobile operator are unimpressed with their customer experience, and the reason they stay on board is that they feel there are no better alternatives. This is due in part to consumers believing all mobile operators are beset with the same issues.

Additional findings from the survey indicate that only 9% of respondents are sticking with their current supplier because they are satisfied with the service they currently receive, whilst 16% of subscribers have not switched because they are currently locked into long-term contracts.

Operators that can appeal to this large proportion of unsatisfied consumers stand to benefit from new business opportunities that they did not realise were hiding in plain sight. To do so, customer service providers should focus on improving their customer experience to credibly differentiate themselves among their poorly regarded competition.

“While many customer service providers remain confident they are fulfilling subscriber expectations for a quality service, the reality is that consumers have grown impatient with an industry that does not always consider their evolving lifestyles,” said Bhaskar Gorti, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Oracle Communications. “Those customer service providers that get the basics of their customer experience right and deliver the reliable and flexible service that today’s consumers are looking for can tap into a hidden opportunity to stand out from the competition and grow their respective subscriber-bases.”