Customer service: how the consumer experience is redefining retail

The new survey “Dados on Consumption and Loyalty in Brazil” conducted by Opinion Box in partnership with Neogrid, shows that 76% of respondents consider customer service a very important aspect to ensure the permanence of the consumer, while 80% of participants claim to have already stopped buying a brand after experiencing a problem related to this issue. Studies like this reinforce the importance of customer service as a central strategy, especially in retail. Today, consumers seek more than quality in the product: they want to be heard, valued and served with empathy and agility. 

In a booming market such as retail, which accumulated a growth of 4.7% in 2024, closing the eighth consecutive year with gains and the largest in the growth series, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the shopping experience has become an essential competitive differential.

For Leonardo dos Anjos, franchise director of Anjos Mattresses & Sofas, a brand specialized in mattresses and sofas with more than 30 years in the market, good service is the basis for loyalty. “When customers feel heard and valued, they return and continue to buy. Every business needs to build this relationship of trust, because it is decisive for sustainable growth over time”. The company bets on transparency and empathy as pillars of the relationship with the consumer.

In addition to strengthening bonds, excellent service boosts word of mouth marketing and increases the average ticket. “When customers are really satisfied with the products and service, they start to recommend it spontaneously, either in conversations or in social networks”, adds Leonardo. For the executive, anticipating problems and personalizing the purchase journey are decisive actions to consolidate the brand reputation and stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

To keep up with changing consumer demands, Leonardo has prepared a list of three key practices to transform the customer experience: 

• Invest in preparing the team DO trainings and promote training courses and mentoring so that all your employees have full control of the products, company policies and the best ways to deal with different customer profiles. Thus, your employees will be more prepared to listen, understand and meet the most varied needs efficiently.
• Be transparent & be transparent Transparency should be a pillar in management. Nowadays, people value and prefer brands with solid principles.In the long run, trust is the most valuable asset of any company & this is only built on the truth.
• The service does not end with the payment made ( Companies that really value good service follow the after-sales to ensure that the customer is satisfied with the product, that everything has occurred as expected and that their opinion is valued. A common and effective practice in this process, for example, is the application of satisfaction surveys.