Latest CSBA study reveals major gaps in Australian customer service quality

New findings from the 2024 SenseCX Quality Benchmarking program have highlighted a wide disparity in service quality, with the Education, Water and Banking sectors far outperforming Superannuation and Telecommunications in effective service delivery.

The program, comprising independent assessments of more than 12,800 customer interactions across 245 Australian contact centres and 10 sectors, measures 31 key customer-focused behaviours based on Success, Ease and Sentiment.

Education and Water scored 60% and 59% respectively for Success - the degree to which customers can achieve their goals. In contrast, both Superannuation and Telecommunications scored 52%.  

Education and Water were also the top performers For Ease - the effort the customer expends to accomplish their goals - at 36% and 35% respectively. The weakest performers were Housing at 30% and Automotive at 29%.  

Concerningly, despite improved staffing levels in many contact centres post-pandemic, one in ten (11%) calls went unanswered after 10 minutes. While performance varied significantly across sectors, the banking sector showed a staggering 29% of calls to banks went unanswered.

CSBA Account Director, Tony Williams: "Failing to answer calls from customers who may be distressed about loan repayments or scams is simply unacceptable!"

The power of personalisation

The program found a lack of personalisation in customer interactions, with many organisations failing to engage with customers in a meaningful way.

On average, just 11% of contact centre agents made efforts to personalise conversations. Additionally, only 14% of agents asked effective questions to understand the customer's unique situation, which contributed to incomplete or inadequate resolutions. Just as concerning, only 8% of agents took the time to ensure customers were satisfied with the solutions offered.

Williams explained that simple actions like using the customer's name, sharing a relevant experience or acknowledging their specific situation made a huge difference.

"Great customer service isn't just about answering questions," he said. "It's about making a genuine connection with customers."

"Customer experience is how you differentiate yourself in a highly competitive market."

Now's the time for action

Effective customer engagement is more important than ever, as many customers rely on contact centres for support with complex issues that self-service digital tools cannot easily provide.

Williams: "As customer expectations continue to rise, organisations must invest in initiatives that lift service quality."

"Training, coaching and ongoing quality monitoring are paramount in managing and meeting customer expectations. Don't risk losing your customers to more customer-centric competitors."

Here are the top customer experience performers (overall and by sector)

About CSBA:
CSBA is a leader in customer experience consulting, training, quality assurance, and research. CSBA partners with businesses across various sectors to drive customer satisfaction, loyalty, and growth.

For more information on the SenseCX Quality Benchmarking program, contact:

Tony Williams, Account Director
Phone: +61 417 471 516
Email: tony.williams@csba.com.au