More than one in three (38 per cent) of businesses would also be discouraged from working with other companies based on poorly presented staff, according to a survey of 1,000 businesses by serviced office operator Business Environment.

Just a quarter (27 per cent) of those questioned are familiar with their own company’s service standards. By comparison, more than half (53 per cent) understand their HR policy and 43 per cent their company structure.

The results demonstrate a real lack of focus on customer service, says David Saul, managing director of Business Environment: ‘No matter what the core service or product that you are offering, high customer service levels remain essential, particularly in today’s competitive business landscape.

‘Ensuring staff understand and are rewarded for delivering excellent service should be part of every company’s culture. This is why service standards are so important.’

The research also reveals that one third (33 per cent) of UK workers do not believe their company delivers a good service to its clients.