Great customer service can make or break a business. When it’s done well, it can turn even the most disgruntled customers into loyal advocates, but when it’s done poorly, it can drive people away faster than you can say “customer complaint.” These are the 21 customer service mistakes that should always be avoided.
Lack of Personal Touch
“Delivering a personal touch enhances customer satisfaction,” says Forbes. One of the most common customer service mistakes is treating customers like numbers rather than individuals. People appreciate a personal touch, whether it’s using their name or remembering their preferences. When service reps fail to personalise interactions, it can make customers feel undervalued and unimportant.
Long Hold Times
Few things are more frustrating than being put on hold for what feels like an eternity. Long hold times signal to customers that their time isn’t valuable. While sometimes unavoidable, it’s crucial that businesses minimise hold times and keep customers informed about the wait duration.
Robotic Responses
It can be incredibly annoying when customer service representatives sound like they’re reading from a script. Customers want to feel like they’re talking to a real person who understands their issue. Robotic, canned responses often come across as insincere and unhelpful.
Lack of Empathy
Buyers reach out to customer service because they need help, so when representatives fail to show empathy and understanding, frustrations can escalate. A little empathy goes a very long way in making customers feel heard and valued, after all.
Poor Communication Skills
The whole point of good customer service is to be able to communicate well – clear and effective communication is key. So, representatives who mumble, use jargon, or fail to explain things properly can leave customers confused and irritated. This means that It’s essential for reps to be articulate.
Failure to Resolve Issues
Swift and effective issue resolution should be a top priority, as nothing annoys customers more than having their issues unresolved—that was the whole point of their contact. When problems are passed from one rep to another without resolution, it can make customers feel like they’re being given the runaround.
Over-promising and Under-delivering
Setting high expectations and failing to meet them is a surefire way to rub consumers up the wrong way. It’s much better to under-promise and over-deliver, so when businesses promise more than they can deliver, it leads to disappointment and mistrust.
Rudeness
There’s never an excuse for rudeness in customer service. When representatives are curt, dismissive, or outright rude, it can drive customers away for good. Politeness and respect should be non-negotiable in all customer interactions—even if the customers themselves are rude, don’t stoop to their level.
Inconsistency
Inconsistent information from different representatives can be maddening for a buyer who just wants help with a problem. Customers expect reliable and consistent answers, no matter who they speak to. Inconsistencies can erode trust and create confusion, making them not want to come back.
Lack of Follow-up
Following up with customers after resolving an issue shows that a business cares about their satisfaction, especially if they want a review about how they did. Without follow-up, customers might feel forgotten or unimportant; a simple check-in can make a big difference in customer perception.
Ignoring Feedback
Consumer feedback is invaluable for improving services, as that’s what it’s there for. When businesses ignore feedback, this sends a message that customer opinions don’t matter. Actively listening to and acting on feedback can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Overuse of Automation
While automation can streamline processes, over-relying on it can be detrimental. For example, automated responses and chatbots often fail to address complex issues, leaving customers frustrated. This is why balancing automation with human touch is crucial when speaking with a buyer.
Lack of Product Knowledge
Customer service representatives should be well-versed in the products or services they support, as a consumer needs to have faith in what they’re saying. When reps lack product knowledge, they can’t provide accurate or helpful information, which customers won’t be happy about.
Not Taking Responsibility
When mistakes happen, it’s important for businesses to take responsibility. Passing the blame or making excuses only aggravates customers. Owning up to errors and taking steps to rectify them can restore trust, whereas wriggling out of any blame will only anger consumers.
Being Unavailable
It’s always helpful when customer service is 24/7, or at the very least normal hours of the working day. Customers expect timely assistance when they reach out, so it can be incredibly frustrating when businesses are difficult to contact or have limited hours of operation.
Overcomplicating Processes
Simple issues shouldn’t require complex solutions, and overcomplicating processes can overwhelm customers and make them less likely to reach out in the future just to save the hassle. Streamlining processes can improve customer satisfaction and make it more likely they’ll return again and again.
Failing to Listen
Active listening is a crucial skill for customer service representatives – it’s the bare minimum of what the job role entails. Therefore, when reps don’t listen or interrupt customers, it can make them feel undervalued and misunderstood. Giving customers a chance to fully explain their issues is essential.
Inadequate Training
Well-trained representatives are better equipped to handle customer issues effectively. Inadequate training can result in poor service and frustrated customers. Investing in comprehensive training can improve customer interactions—consumers will always notice whether you’ve been trained properly or not.
Neglecting Loyal Customers
The best thing you can do as a business is gain customer loyalty, and loyal consumers expect to be treated well. Neglecting long-time customers in favour of acquiring new ones can lead to dissatisfaction. On the other hand, recognising and rewarding loyalty can strengthen customer relationships.
Misleading Information
Providing accurate information is fundamental to good customer service. Misleading or incorrect information can lead to frustration, and the customer is never going to trust you as a result. Reps should always strive to provide clear and correct answers that don’t confuse customers.
Being Too Pushy
One final customer service mistake guaranteed to annoy everybody is being too pushy. While it’s important to promote products or services, being too pushy can drive customers away instead of reeling them in. Hard-selling tactics can make customers feel pressured and uncomfortable.
