PR Insights & Public Relations Strategy
By Editorial Team1 min read
PR Survey: Customer Service Is Getting Worse
By Editorial Team1 min read
A recent survey by Polaris Marketing Research has found that one-third of Americans believe that customer service is getting worse across all of their purchases, while forty-four percent believe that customer service is staying the same. While surveys are conducted on a limited number of consumers - in this case 1,000 American consumers during the week of June 20, 2011 - they are indicative of a general trend. The results of the aforementioned survey showed that perceptions of customer service do not vary based on household income or education. It is vital for retailers to address issues that lead to poor customer satisfaction, to survive a highly competitive industry: “It is somewhat surprising that, with so many companies struggling for survival, the American consumer is still pessimistic about customer service. Treating customers well is a low-cost option for increasing sales and loyalty,” said Polaris President Jan Carlson in an official press statement. The problem is that many of those who face the public are not properly trained to treat the customers. It happened to all of us: a tired cashier acting as if you disturbed her lunch break, a waiter failing to notice your empty glass, a post office clerk giving you a nasty look... Of course, customer service is a more complex issue, dealing with refunds, warranties, and other benefits promised by those who sell us a product, or a service. At times, we get to struggle to receive what's been promised under the terms of the purchase. And there are many other issues that contribute to poor customer satisfaction. As customers, we have the right to expect those who make their existence from our financial contributions to treat us right. But customer service is not really a low-cost option for companies. Without proper training, those facing the public cannot really raise up to the task. The results of the Polaris Marketing Research survey should inspire businesses working with the public to train their employees.
Written by
Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces reporting, research, and analysis across thirty verticals — communications, reputation, AI visibility, public affairs, media systems, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era. Publishing since 2009.
Other news
See all
Editorial Team · 05/25/2026
Why the Best Digital Marketing in 2026 Feels Human Again
For the better part of the last decade, digital marketing has been defined by one word: efficiency. Marketers optimized everything. Audiences were segmented into increasingly granular cohorts. Creative was tested, iterated, and refined at scale. Entire strategies were built around performance dashboards—click-through rates, conversion rates, cost per acquisition. It was a golden age of precision. And yet, something got lost along the way. Scroll through any social platform today and you’ll encounter a paradox: marketing has never been more targeted, yet it has never felt more invisible. Ads are technically excellent, but emotionally vacant. Campaigns perform, but they rarely linger. Brands reach people, but they struggle to move them. This is the defining tension of digital marketing in 2026.
Editorial Team · 05/25/2026
The SAFE Banking Communications Playbook (Updated Q2 2026)
SAFE Banking has been "almost passing" for seven years. The communications stakes just got higher. Schedule III rescheduling raised institutional investor interest. The operators that build the right banking narrative now win citation share — whether SAFER passes or doesn't.
Editorial Team · 05/25/2026
280E Repeal Communications: What MSOs Should Be Saying Right Now
280E has crushed cannabis P&Ls for fifteen years. The April 23 Schedule III order ended it — for some operators. The MSOs that communicate the partial repeal with discipline win the post-rescheduling citation graph. The rest don't.
Never Miss a Headline
Daily PR headlines, weekly long-form analysis, and our proprietary research drops — straight to your inbox.