Major high street brands such as John Lewis, Next, B&Q and M&S are enhancing their customer service offerings driven by a rise in WhatsApp usage and chatbot integration, according to a new survey.
In an audit of the customer service performance of the UK’s top retailers, CM.com found that retailers employing WhatsApp channels for customer service dramatically outperform their competitors when it comes to the speed and effectiveness of their responses to basic queries—scoring 58% higher on average than those without WhatsApp support.
The research highlights that more retailers are offering live-chat connected chatbots, as now nearly half of the UK’s leading retailers (12 out of 25) offer the technology to help with customer service – up 71% since 2022.
Furthermore, retailers offer more customer service channels than ever, with nearly seven on average, including Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and online chatbots.
Despite this increase in the number of ways customers can contact brands, 8% of the most common customer queries are still going unanswered – the survey found. Nearly half of these unanswered queries were sent on Instagram – despite brands noting the platform as active for customer queries many failed to respond in an effective or timely manner.
James Mathews, UK and Ireland country manager, CM.com commented: “Retailers recognise that delivering an exceptional customer experience is now non-negotiable. Our audit highlights how effectively integrating WhatsApp, live chat, and chatbot solutions not only helps brands meet customer expectations for speed, convenience, and availability. It also helps them improve their bottom lines.
“Those retailers that blend conversational technologies like WhatsApp and live chat with human support significantly outperform their peers—not just in customer satisfaction, but in the overall performance. These tools aren’t replacing people – they’re helping humans to provide better and more personalised support.
“WhatsApp, for example, isn’t just a chatbot platform; it’s most powerful when staffed by people who can deliver fast, personalised responses in the channels customers already trust. When used well, conversational channels help retailers reduce friction, improve loyalty, and ultimately drive better financial results.”
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