The Customer Respect Group, a research and consulting firm, released the results of its 2003 Online Customer Respect Study on Friday. The studyâs Customer Respect Index combines qualitative and quantitative measurements of a customerâs online experience.
HP scored 9.7, while Ingram Micro scored the lowest of the top 100 companies, tallying 2.8. The study found that about 31% of companies didnât respond to online inquiries, and about 10% didnât post a privacy policy.
âToo many companies still don't treat their customers online the same way they would offline,â Donal Daly, CEO of The Customer Respect Group, said in a statement. âThe basic rules for earning a customer's respect seem to be thrown out the window when it comes to a company's online efforts. One click and the customer is gone to a competitor!â
--Sean Callahan