Good customer service gives known brands the edge

Written by: Linda Bolido

For Filipinos, who are very social and sociable people, good customer service is not just about finding the product they want at the right price.

The corona virus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic might have seen the exponential increase in digital knowhow and usage, but many commercial and business establishments report that their customers, while happy to have efficient and fast digital connectivity, still want to be able to have a human person on the other end of the telephone line or across the desk from them to respond to their specific questions and attend to their particular needs.

Filipino customers may begin a transaction with a Bot, but they still prefer to have a real exchange with another person.

Some new companies are now even built on this idea that clients see good and effective customer service as being a combination of both digital and human interactions, or a hybrid, available at all times and all instances, to maintain customer loyalty.

The Philippine Best Customer Service 2023 survey, a joint project of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Statista, the world’s leading data and business intelligence portal, seems to bear this out. Those surveyed rated companies on accessibility (availability of customer help at the business/on the helpline), communication (friendliness, politeness in email/phone/face to face contact) and professional competence (quality of information received).

Covered by the survey were clothing retailers; food, health and beauty retailers; home goods retailers; catering, restaurants and leisure; sports and leisure; online services and digital products; beauty and wellness services; insurance; personal services, home care and maintenance; and real estate and banking.

Ranking companies on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “very unsatisfied” and 5 “very satisfied”, Filipino survey participants responded to such questions as “the availability of customer service in a shop or on a helpline” and “the quality of information received and whether questions were answered correctly and in sufficient detail”.

They were also asked, on a scale of 0 (“I would not recommend at all”) to 10 (“I would definitely recommend”) the likelihood that they would recommend the brands presented to them.

The results of the 2023 survey seem to suggest that Filipino customers really put a premium on customer care. In terms of products and services that have long been in the market, the top 246 brands include companies whose years of existence have generated loyalty among Filipino customers.

The Top 246 list is completed by companies whose products and services have emerged because of customers’ evolving needs and demands, several responding to new requirements brought about by an increasingly digitalized market and society.

With 10 being the perfect score, the 246 companies rated an average of 8.15 points, indicating that these companies have met or exceeded the expectations of customers by providing efficient, helpful and friendly support. 

Companies are grouped according to their categories. Listing of companies showing the same score is based on differences in decimal places.

Topping the list is Shangri-La, representing Transportation and Travel, with an overall satisfaction rating of 9.57 points. Ranking 2, 4 and 5, respectively, are multi-national brands Krispy Kreme (catering, restaurant and leisure, 9.52), Tim Hortons (catering, restaurant and leisure, 9.43) and Emirates (transportation and travel,9.40).

Online flower retailer Flowerstore (beauty, food and health, 9. 47) is No. 3, its growth driven no doubt by the growing digitalization of the market. Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant, which entered the food business in 1997 and fairly young compared to other major players in the industry, is at No. 6 (catering, restaurants and leisure, 9.40).

Another online flower retailer, Evy’s Flower Shop (beauty, food and health, 9.37), is at No. 7 while crowdfunding platform GoGetFunding (real estate and banking, 9.21) is at No. 8. Rounding out the list is Pooch Park (pet supplies, 9.20) at No. 9, and online flower retailer Flower Delivery Philippines (beauty, food and health, 9.16) at No. 10.

Each category has its own top brands ranked from 2 to 5. In total, more than 100,000 evaluations from over 11,000 participants were gathered via online access panels that were promoted on various Philippine Daily Inquirer channels. 

The campaign was able to award 246 brands in 64 categories consisting of a good mix of globally recognized and regional brands. 

The survey ran from April 12 to May 17, 2023.