A new survey from the IDC research group (www.idc.com) revealed that the most important characteristic to ensure satisfaction in communicating with a company is the ease of use/simplicity of process.

According to the survey, on average, 65% of respondents said they were satisfied with the communication options available. The 18-24 and 25-34 year age groups were the least satisfied, both with 62% satisfaction with the breadth of channel options compared to 65% overall. Seventy-one percent of respondents said that communicating with a company using their preferred channel is very important.

"Companies need to support the communication needs for all of their customers as they have a wide range of preferences. This means ensuring customers are supported on 'newer' channels, such as social media, as well as on 'traditional' channels, even as newer channels grow and evolve," says Melissa O'Brien, research analyst, Worldwide Customer Care BPO Services.

Additional findings from the IDC survey include the following:

° Respondents who are part of the 18-24 demographic value a friendly/personal interaction more than the older age groups.

° Thirty-four percent of total respondents said they use social media for customer support one or more times per month.

° Seventy-three percent of total respondents said that mobile customer support is very or somewhat important.