The 7 Worst Customer Services Mistakes and How to Fix Them

The customer is the center of any business. We refer to their desires and needs when making a decision, adapting product or services, or changing a pricing policy. Neglecting  this interaction could cost you a lot of money, but if you manage to improve the quality of your products / services you can expect more and more happier customers. This is the golden rule in any business. Useless service will not sell, no matter what efforts you make to promote it. Approaching a quality and honesty-oriented policy is the key towards success.

A second rule of thumb for maintaining a loyal customer is the attention we give to them. It matters more than you think to treat your clients with respect and promptness, addressing their questions and desires in a quick and effective manner. Keeping in touch with them increases our chances of winning their loyalty and also gives them the feeling that they are valued. However, as with all customer-oriented business, slip-ups can happen at any time.

Most common customer service mistakes:

Lack of Information: The client should be viewed as a complex entity, one which is constantly changing and looking for innovation, improvement and diversification. A long stagnation means a loss of customers.

Product Feedback: Some managers don’t take the time to talk to customers. Regular communication and feedback are important components underlying innovation and positive change. Customer critiques, suggestions and recommendations must be accepted and dealt with in an objective manner.

Unprepared Employees: Workers who don’t know their products or services well enough in order to promote the company’s image can send customers away. Thus, it’s essential to keep the staff well trained for the positions they held. Make sure they are in step with changes in the company, and have the right service skills to deal with the customer’s approach.

Poor Pricing Policy: A policy that has not been well thought out, is inconsistent with the market value, or does not reflect the true quality of the services / products offered by the company will only redirect customers to the eagerly awaiting competition.

Prompt Service: Regardless of whether it’s a delay in delivery or a slow response to an inquiry, customers will feel treated with a lack of respect. A solution to this problem is an investment in staff training and an efficient approach with all customer channels, such as social media. You can also enable self-service for the customer in order to make them self-sufficient and to lower average hold times for the call center. Companies like WalkMe can enable self-service with ease, and guide users through simple tasks while they complete them.

User-Friendly Website: Promoting business services through a website that is not user-friendly will discourage customers. Your website should be easy to access and use, whilst giving clear and complete information about your company’s products. It should also feature an appealing design.

Communication Frequency: Adopting an attitude that is too intrusive will not help you win or retain customers. It’s imperative to keep a professional tone with your clients and not to bombard them with phone calls or e-mails. It’s alright to inform them from time to time about the changes in the services you provide, about your existing promotions, or about the newly-created discounts which are available to them.

There are always going to be mistakes made, but that’s how we learn. The key is to make sure you deal with the issues at the time they happen, add a little empathy, (if dealing directly with the customer) and make sure next time you improve the service.

Guest Blogger: Stefanie Amini

Stefanie Amini is the Marketing Director and Specialist in Customer Success at WalkMe, the world’s first interactive online guidance system. She is chief writer and editor of I Want It Now, a blog for Customer Service Experts. Follow her @StefWalkMe