A new survey says that three-quarters of Americans are still looking for the “right fit” when it comes to their hairdresser.
In a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, less than one in five people have found the perfect service provider they can rely on, whether it be an auto repair shop (19%), veterinarian (16%), therapist (13%) or nail salon (11%).
In fact, fewer than 1 in 10 people have found their ideal real estate agent (7%), chiropractor (7%) or builder (7%).
In the past five years, Americans have visited three different personal care providers, three health care providers, and three home maintenance professionals, yet 29% of people in each field have yet to find a provider that is right for them.
To find the perfect match, the average American prefers to read five reviews per provider and values positive reviews over negative ones (34% vs. 15%).
The findings also revealed that people spend 15 minutes browsing social media pages before choosing a provider.
Going a step further, 18% said they would not support a business that does not have an online presence.
Commissioned by Talker Research Bird’s EyeOur findings make it clear that the vetting doesn’t stop there: if a business has a rating below three stars, the average respondent isn’t even interested in reading the review and will automatically ignore it.
Once a provider is selected, it takes seven visits before they are considered a “regular” and an average of eight visits before they become completely trusting.
But once that trust is formed, it’s hard to break the bond, as the average respondent is willing to travel nearly 30 minutes (28.6) to get there if they move or their favorite store relocates.
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This could be because three in five (61%) are more loyal to the person actually providing the service than the brand or company that provides the service (25%).
A quarter of Americans believe that “breaking up” with a service provider they rely on is just as difficult as breaking up with a partner, and 13% even say that it would be easier to break up with a partner.
“Today’s economic climate has consumers becoming more scrutinizing of their spending,” said BirdEye President Dave Lehman. “Our research shows that to thrive and remain competitive, local businesses must maintain their online reputation, be active on social media and provide a top-notch customer experience.”
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When Americans are dissatisfied with a service, the most common response is to ask the service provider to fix or improve (37%), followed by notifying the person who provided the service directly (36%).
But respondents are still more likely to avoid using the service again or find a different provider (34%) than to give it another chance (23%) or leave a negative review on social media (10%) or Google (9%).
However, after a good experience, almost two-thirds (64%) are likely to leave a positive online review.
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After all, more than half of Americans (55%) are more likely to give a small local shop a chance than a big chain (20%) if the service doesn’t meet their expectations.
Similarly, 54% expect quality service from small businesses.
“Consumers expect higher-quality, more personalized experiences, and they’re often turning to local businesses when searching for the ‘perfect fit,'” says Lehman. “To meet these expectations, local businesses of all sizes need the right tools and resources, which is where a reputation and customer experience management platform can help by improving their online presence and customer engagement.”
Research Methodology:
This random double opt-in survey 2,000 Americans in the general population Commissioned Bird’s Eye while March 29th and April 4, 2024The survey was conducted by Talker Research, a market research company whose team members adhere to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Code of Professional Ethics and Practice, and whose researchers are members of the Market Research Association and the European Society for Opinion Research and Marketing (ESOMAR).
