Retail
May 9, 2018
Consumers prefer to try to solve their customer service issues online first. Image credit: Bloomingdale's
By Sarah Jones
When trying to solve issues with a retailer, 80 percent of consumers are apt to head to a brand’s Web site before calling customer service, according to a new report.
{"ct":"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","iv":"8d39cbb606140ba6938b289538cb9b18","s":"3b4e4568cfb4f819"}
Share your thoughts. Click here