Good service gains customer trust

Good customer service is by far the biggest factor that makes customers trust a business, according to a YouGov survey for the Institute for Family Business.

The IFB survey asked the public what were the main factors that make a business more trustworthy and good customer service came top with 73%, followed by value for money (57%), high quality products (56%) and whether it was a long-established firm (54%).

And in good news for family-owned businesses, 62% of the public thought they often provide better customer service than other types of business, while more than two thirds thought family-owned businesses play an important role in economic growth and employment (68%).

Grant Gordon, IFB director general, commented: “The public are telling us that they trust businesses more who offer good customer service and according to the survey family firms are providing better customer service than other types of business which is a very positive message for the sector.“

To the question: In your eyes which, if any, of the following factors do you think make a business more trustworthy? The answers were:

Providing good customer service 73%
Offers value for money 57%
Produces high quality products 56%
A long-established firm 54%
An ethical trading policy 33%
A family-owned business 30%
Involvement in local community and charity 27%
A UK company 26%
A profitable company 23%
Listed on the stock market7%