Customer service continues to evolve, what with the ever increasing power of social media.  But some things remain somewhat constant, as reflected in the 2013 infographic prepared by Parature based on several surveys conducted by leading research firms.

One consistent theme remains – make it easy for customers to use your business, as reflected in the graphic below.  Here are a few other highlights from the Parature infographic:

• 60% of customers will do business with companies based on the customer service they receive – it’s not just about price
• Expectations for good customer service has increased by 4%
• The cost to businesses as a result of poor customer service?  $83 BILLION dollars in the U.S.
• 75% of your customers expect it to be easy to get customer service from you

Are you structured to provide fast and easy to use customer service?  Don’t think this is just about phone or online service.  It is every bit as important – no, it’s MORE important – to provide easy to access and use customer service face to face with your employees.

Access the full infographic here.