Enterprises demand always-on support

Business managers are more likely to choose a supplier that offers 24/7 customer service

The majority of Europe's senior business managers seek out suppliers with always-on support, according to figures released this week.

Independent research commissioned by Avaya found that nine out of 10 senior business managers are more likely to choose a supplier that offers 24/7 customer service functions.

More than 89 per cent of respondents indicated that they are willing to pay premium prices for always-on access.

However, only 17 per cent of European firms surveyed currently offer employees the flexible working options needed to underpin an around-the-clock customer service function of this kind.

This suggests that they are ill prepared to offer customers the type of service they demand themselves.

Survey respondents also want to choose the communication channel for that interaction, whether it be email, fax, phone, in writing or in person, and want all of those channels equally serviced.

Respondents were also very clear about which forms of communication they prefer. Some 70 per cent get the best service using the telephone to speak to suppliers, while email was preferred by 59 per cent.

This was closely followed by face-to-face contact (56 per cent), but faxing and formal letters were deemed least likely to get a result, at 18 and 10 per cent respectively.

"The survey results show conclusively that the service gold standard has changed and that businesses need to adapt to accommodate new expectations," said Martyn Lambert, vice president of marketing for Avaya in EMEA.

"There is a strong business case for introducing flexible working solutions across Europe as a way to plug this potentially lucrative gap.

"Flexible working can help companies attract better employees, retain them longer and foster business agility. It could also help increase the bottom line if flexible working is deployed to enable 'always-on' customer service."

Research also revealed that 58 per cent of employees think that their company already has the technology and systems in place to enable productive, flexible working for staff.