A recent study by Execs in the Know and Digital Roots asked customers, Which characteristic of an interaction with a brand’s customer service department is most important to you? The answers:

• Effective Issue Resolution–40.3%
• Immediacy/Fast Response–20.9%
• Ease and Convenience–20.4%
• Friendly/Personalized Approach–18.4%

My take? Common sense suggests that none of the other things matter if the issue isn’t resolved. Beyond that, I’ll take convenience and a fast response, with personalized approach a distant third.

Source: The Consumer Edition of the Customer Experience Benchmark Series, 2014 (joint project between Execs in the Know and Digital Roots).