Customers Expect More Service

Specialty stores come second in a survey of where shoppers expect the best service. Specialty stores earned a 4.40 rating out of 5, according to the second annual National Retail Federation Foundation/American Express Customer Service survey, conducted by BIGresearch. Restaurants were the only business that came in higher, at 4.46, and Department stores, at 4.12, were next.

Shoppers' service expectations rose in all categories this year. Expectations rose most for warehouse clubs (gaining 7.95 percent to a 3.86 rating), discount stores (rising 5.88 percent to a 3.40 rating) and online shopping (rated at 3.92 this year for an increase of 5.75 percent).

Even as customers want more customer service, they also want to pay less. According to Forrester Research, consumers increasingly favor price over brand and are less likely to spend more for products that save time and hassles or have an image that they like. However, age and gender matter: women are most likely to value price over brand, especially young women. Men are more likely to value reducing hassle, especially young men. And image is most important to young men.