According to a new study, the HR sector and recruiting is ranked second for customer service.
The ‘Customer Service Report,’ by WhatsApp’s business communications specialist Esendex analysed Trustpilot reviews to calculate a weighted score for each industry out of 100. This was done after weighing in the overall review scores as well as average sentiment ratings on customer service terms.
HR, and recruiting scored 89.7 points out of 100 with an average Trustpilot rating of 4.6. This is the second-best performing sector of 15 industries analysed. It shows a commitment to maintaining good customer relations and providing exceptional service in order to create loyalty and achieve long-term success.
The sector that received the highest scores in the sentiment analysis was:
Customer service (4.6/5)
‘Satisfaction’ (4.4/5)
‘Experience’ (4.5/5)
These scores indicate a high level of satisfaction among consumers with their customer service experience.
HR, recruiting and employee experience play a vital role in employee satisfaction. A high score indicates that this can be translated into excellent customer service. It is likely that the high ranking of recruitment services comes from its personalised nature, which requires a deep understanding of both clients and candidates.
HR Recruiting also outperformed the average industry score, with a Trustpilot rating of 4.1.
The Institute of Customer Service reported that UK customer satisfaction reached its lowest level in nine years, in July 2024. It estimated that poor customer service cost UK businesses more than PS87.6 Billion per year.
88% of respondents said that positive service experiences encourage repeat purchases.
Construction and manufacturing scored 89.9 points out of 100, just ahead of HR and recruitment. The construction and manufacturing sector, despite its leading position, scored lower than the overall sentiment review for ‘experience’ (4.3).
The third-placed sector was health and medical, with an 88.0 out of 100 score, while education came in fourth with a 87.8.
Retail scored just 51.4 points out of 100 for customer service. This indicates widespread dissatisfaction among consumers. The pressure on ecommerce providers has increased in recent years. Ofcom’s post-monitoring annual report revealed an 8.3% rise in UK parcel volume from 2023-2024.
These issues, without effective communication about delivery and the handling of customer complaints can result in negative reviews and a decrease in customer trust.
The housing associations and banking and money sectors ranked second and three worst in customer service, with 55.7 and 61.9 respectively.
The Customer Happiness Index
| | |
Construction and Manufacturing | 4.6 | 89.9 |
HR Recruiting | 4.6 | 89.7 |
Health and Medical | 4.4 | 88.0 |
Education | 4.5 | 87.8 |
Credit and Debt Services | 4.4 | 86.8 |
Sales and Marketing | 4.3 | 83.0 |
Utilities | 4.3 | 82.7 |
Shipping and Logistics | 4.2 | 79.7 |
Real Estate | 4.0 | 78.4 |
IT and Communications | 4.2 | 77.3 |
Electronics and Technology | 4.0 | 75.6 |
Enjoy the Entertainment | 3.5 | 63.7 |
Banking and Money | 3.6 | 61.9 |
Housing Associations | 3.4 | 55.7 |
Buy it Now | 3.3 | 51.4 |
Richard Hanscott, CEO at Esendex, stated:
Customer service is an important part of business operations, and it is also a key component of reputation management. It should not be placed at the bottom of a priority list. Businesses must adopt multi-channel, fast, flexible communication methods that are in line with customer needs.
The findings of our Customer Service Report show how industries such as HR, recruiting and HR are setting standards by prioritising clear communication and building strong customer relationships. The sector’s index score of 89.5 shows its commitment to maintaining good customer service and driving long-term success.
To be competitive, companies must build trust and a positive reputation for their brand, as well as improve customer service. By investing in customer service solutions, such as WhatsApp for Business and AI, companies can streamline communications, reduce response time, and provide support when customers need it. Even industries with high levels of customer satisfaction, such as HR or recruiting, must continue to invest in the best tools to maintain their standards.
These tools not only strengthen customer relationships, but also reduce the pressure on customer service teams, shorten response times and offer 24/7 assistance so that customers can get the help they need when they need it, in a manner that is tailored to their needs.
The original version of this article Customer service and HR ranks second appeared first on Human Resources News.
