File image: Gareth Chaney/Collins, The UK’s Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis. Is Ireland facing another Covid-19 wave or is a blip being used to put the frighteners on? 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Government brands UK move to delay checks on goods entering North from Britain ‘deeply unhelpful’ Northern Secretary confirms move despite checks being required by … Neophiliacs are always ready to explore new situations, tend to be more open to making and embracing new opportunities, and are curious about new ideas.. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has expressed disappointment at the British government’s move to unilaterally delay checks on goods entering the North from Britain, which are required under the Northern Ireland protocol. In fact, we have been working with businesses since the end of the transition period to ensure that things are delivered in a way that works for them. These statistics represent a significant opportunity for many retailers that want to do customer service better and use it as a differentiator from their competitors. It’s unsurprising then that over 64% of FM Outsource’s respondents did more than half of their shopping online in 2020 and nearly 6% stating that they shopped exclusively online. Considering the age ranges of the respondents, and the clear desire to ‘speak to a real person’, this isn’t unexpected. Internet shopping is very competitive and a one-dimensional experience compared to visiting a shop.”, She continued: “The business that can add personality, empathy and positive customer interaction to online customer service will be a winner.”. “We have been working with businesses and across communities in Northern Ireland over the past year on the development of the guidance notes. How is Brexit affecting you? FM Outsource also did a deep dive into attitudes towards service quality, they found nearly one in five (19.16%) customers rated an online customer service experience between 1 and 5 out of 10. Yes, the first step in safe air travel is just that simple. It's also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, and get comfortable with failure. Meanwhile, European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic tweeted that he would be speaking to David Frost on Wednesday night on the implementation of EU/UK agreements. No. Mr Lewis said exemptions on EU health certificates and checks on sausages and other chilled meats, which were due to end on March 31st, would be extended until at least October 1st. The Alliance MP Stephen Farry said that while his party had successfully argued for the introduction of grace periods in December and wanted to see the current adjustments extended, concerns remained over the UK’s unilateral action. The EU-UK joint committee on implementing the protocol is considering Britain’s request for an extension of grace periods until 2023 but the European Commission insists that Britain must make good on commitments on issues such as data sharing before any extensions can be agreed. 74% of consumers also believed that live chat should be available on a retailer’s website. If it’s a particular area of an application or a geographic location, share that information. However, the First Minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster backed the UK government’s move, saying that the end of March was approaching which was a “critical point” in relation to some grace periods. Retailers should therefore consider enhancing their current online shopping platform to ensure they can accommodate this footfall. Say you want to understand why customers are leaving your business at a high clip. Mr Martin on Wednesday night said he was “disappointed that the British government has today announced unilateral action relating to the Protocol”, complaining that “unilateral action undermines the trust necessary to reach agreement”. Irish feminists must avoid British trap of transphobia, Varadkar admits he expected Ireland’s first lockdown to last only six weeks, The perfect recipe for Mother’s Day is quick, delicious and pre-prepared, Food waste is the next plastic in terms of its environmental impact, Discover a family affair with whiskey and own a piece of the story, Building a resilient workforce to help shape a ‘new better’, World View - How Andrew Cuomo went from Covid hero to pariah, World View - Germany after Merkel, Sturgeon calm under pressure. © 2015 RetailTimes.co.uk All rights reserved. Stay on top of the latest news with our daily newsletters each morning, lunchtime and evening, For the best site experience please enable JavaScript in your browser settings, British government plays down 40% slump in exports to EU, John FitzGerald: Ireland could end up as roadkill in UK’s game of chicken with EU, US poised to unveil resolution backing Belfast Agreement, Covid-19: Taoiseach warns on easing of restrictions as case numbers remain stubbornly high. This is a significant proportion of the market that had a substandard experience online – with customer testimony ranging from simply unsatisfactory to down right terrible. However what marks an interesting data point is the shift in consumer preference towards live chat, with 31.27% of those surveyed stating they would use live chat features over emails or calls. “These recognise that appropriate time must be provided for businesses to implement new requirements, and support the effective flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” he said in a written statement to the House of Commons. When it comes to preferred methods of contact, well over half of FM Outsource’s respondents (63%) still opted for phone or email as their starting point. He said he had made clear to the British government “my regret that the UK had moved in a unilateral way, rather than working in continued partnership with the EU in accordance with the EU-UK joint statements of 11 and 24 February.”. As ever, we remain firm on our political and legal obligations.https://t.co/iKgNEaWdeM, “ I’ll be raising our strong concerns on the respect of the IE/NI Protocol, following today’s announcements. The HERO8 Black camcorder records crisp 4K clips, while the spare rechargeable battery and the 32GB SD card offer ample power and storage. And you're a vital part. He told MPs that the “temporary operational steps” announced on Wednesday were designed to ensure that people in Northern Ireland are able to continue to have access to products in the way that the protocol envisaged. Not only is that a clear indicator of how seriously customers take service from retailers, it also spells out, in plain numbers, how important getting customer service right is for the survival of individual retailers – and the industry as a whole. Selling requires collaborating with clients, customers, prospects, and your teammates all the time. With the right investment in customer service solutions, there’s a potential gain of 20% of the market share. Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said: “A unilateral announcement is deeply unhelpful”. Britain’s unilateral step coincides with its former Brexit chief negotiator Lord Frost taking charge of relations with the EU and succeeding Michael Gove as co-chair of the joint committee. This clearly demonstrates the development of consumer literacy and knowledge when it comes to online customer service tools and the need for retailers to implement them on their website. Disparate impact discrimination occurs when a neutral policy or practice has a significant negative impact on one or more protected groups, and either the policy or practice is not job-related and consistent with business necessity or there is a less discriminatory alternative and the employer has refused to adopt it. Over one-third of the time, it actually negatively impacts performance . 4. “It’s more of the same from the British government, but what all efforts need to be on are actually using the Joint Committee for the EU side [AND]the British government to work together to find solutions to the issues that need to be resolved here.”. World View - Can Mario Draghi turn Italy around? “With further meetings of the Joint Committee scheduled for later this month, these actions from the UK government short-cut a process that should have produced mutual agreement on the way forward,” he said. 62.83% of respondents expect a response time within 90 minutes from online services, with 40% expecting contact within half an hour. “The position of Northern Ireland within the UK internal market is rock solid and guaranteed. Earlier, it emerged that the British government had unilaterally extended grace periods delaying checks required by the Northern Ireland protocol on some goods moving from Great Britain to the North. To accompany this statistic FM Outsource assessed to what extent poor online customer service could have a tangible, fiscal impact on retailers in 2021 and beyond. He went on to tell his private weekly parliamentary party meeting that the UK’s move to delay checks on goods going into Northern Ireland was “unilateral” as well as “unhelpful and a cause for concern”, and he urged that issues be worked through “in a calm way”. FM Outsource predicts that as brick-and-mortar retailers continue to struggle in a highly-competitive market, and online shopping becomes easier and more flexible, it’s highly likely that the number of people that exclusively shop online will increase through 2021 and beyond. Lord Frost favours a more combative approach than Mr Gove, who enjoyed a good relationship with his EU counterpart Mr Sevcovic. I'll be raising our strong concerns on the respect of the IE/NI Protocol, following today's announcements. The white paper report will serve as an invaluable resource, providing businesses with a clear idea of what their customers want moving forward. Earlier, Mr Lewis said the EU’s threat last January to invoke Article 16 to suspend parts of the protocol, which was withdrawn within hours, had undermined cross-community confidence in the agreement. In order to bolster their independent data, FM Outsource gathered quotes and comments from a variety of industry experts within the UK retail sector. Mr Coveney said he had spoken earlier today with Northern Secretary Brandon Lewis and the new Cabinet minister for EU-UK relations Lord David Frost to convey the Irish Government’s position. Instead of a goal like: “I want to better understand customer satisfaction.” Your goal should be something like: “I want to understand the key factors that are leading our customers to leave—whether these reasons are caused by internal or external forces.” In order to get an accurate, grounded understanding of how ordinary retail customers felt about their online experiences, FM Outsource surveyed a broad selection of the UK population. With regards to average response times when using these online customer service tools, it appears that consumers are more forgiving when it comes to web-dedicated channels such as live chat. “Issues relating to the Protocol should be resolved by the UK and EU working together, through the Joint Committee,” he said. This included a split in age ranges, with 34.81% of respondents being between 18-34, 45.43% between 35-54, and the remainder being 55 or over. A financial manager plays a critical role in providing financial guidance and support to a company. But according to research, feedback has little impact on our performance. “Being creative comes with its highs and lows, and ideas aren’t always received in the way they were intended,” says James Wood, creative director and co-founder of ShopTalk. Emily Bridgewater, editor & communications manager at the British Independent Retailers Association, reaffirmed the significance of getting customer service right: “It’s never been more important [to get customer service right] – both in a shop and online. Neophilia is a term for people who are naturally attracted to newness. When asked whether poor customer service would stop them from using a retailer again, 83.78% of those surveyed said that it would. Customer results are more important than: What we plan to make. Mr Coveney said it is “ vital that the current challenges are addressed in a spirit of cooperation and partnership and through the agreed mechanisms, so that Northern Ireland can benefit from the considerable positive opportunities created by the Protocol.”. One in five customers think online customer service is poor or unhelpful Published on 08/03/2021 by Fiona Briggs in Data Time , Research As part of FM Outsource’s in-depth analysis of the retail sector, the customer service outsourcer surveyed 300 consumers across the UK. “While this announcement from the UK Government may be superficially attractive in the short-term, it may bring long-term consequences,” he said. Also known as a finance manager or finance lead, they can make a real difference to a business’ success.