Customer service complaints growing at rapid pace

According to the 2011 Convergys U.S. Customer Scorecard, the percentage of consumers reporting bad customer experience has reached 13 percent, up from 5 percent in 2009.

The chief complaint among consumers is that resolving an issue with a company required too much effort and took too long.

“Clearly, ‘effort’ is the flashpoint of the service experience, and those companies who make problem resolution hard for customers can pay a stiff price,” Convergys Vice President Igor Sarenac said in a statement.

It’s worth noting that Convergys offers customer service software and solutions.

If you work in the marketing or PR department, don’t brush off this report. Convergys also reported that eight out of 10 consumers who had a lousy experience with a brand have told other people about it—on social media.