Home featured Credit: Campaign Creators Featured News Sales Featured $3.17 billion in revenue lost annually due to poor online customer service Ann Wen October 29, 2020 Businesses must invest in their online customer service as COVID-19 has driven up consumer demand for more virtual support. A LivePerson Customer Conversation Report found that 55 per cent of Australians said that they believed the online customer service of most companies could be improved. This includes providing more information online or having shorter hold periods on calls. “What normally happened before COVID-19 was that people might browse online and then go into store. But COVID-19 has forced consumers to purchase online without visiting a store,” said Kate Sterling, Head of Customer Engagement APAC at LivePerson. “There’s a huge job by retailers to therefore make sure they provide all the information consumers need online to drive sales and generate more online. Our view is that there’s a lot of work to be done from many brands to make sure the right level of detail is provided.” The Report also found that 71 per cent of Australians have abandoned an online purchase at the checkout in the last 12 months. This is an estimated $3.17 bn loss in revenue. “There are a number of reasons why people have abandoned their online purchases. 42 per cent of those who responded said they abandoned their carts because they were unhappy with delivery details or options. 34 per cent didn’t have enough information to make the right decision,”