5 Stupid Things People Do that Impact Customer Satisfaction

These are things that may have been going on under your noses and you probably never noticed.

1. Not Being Agreeable

Whatever the customer says at the start, agree to it (you’re right, I agree, I’m with you, etc.).

Even when you think the customer is wrong, you have to agree. Because in his mind, he is right, and he’s reaching out to you to make it right.

If you greet his concern with a “you’re wrong” remark, the customer will carry that remark throughout the rest of the conversation.

People like to associate themseves with other people who agree with them. Like how we sit with people we know when we’re out in an event, iť’s because we want to be with people who agree with us.

So agree with the customer. Be agreeable.

2. Not Gauging the Customer’s Emotions, and Influencing the Change

What is the customer feeling at the onset of the conversation? Dissatisfied? Neutral? satisfied?

How can you influence the customer to change his emotional state within the discussion?

For example, you can “influence” a neutral customer to become happy by ensuring your positivity is contagious.

You can influence a satisfied (positive) customer to remain happy by mirroring his/her positivity.

If you’re neutral on your emotions, you will influence your positve customer to become neutral like you.

As for customers who are already Dissatisfied from the get go, be positive. Your customer may forget everything you say, but he/she will not forget how you made them feel.

The recap and closing question technique will help in this case e.g. you reached out to us regarding X, Y, and Z concerns (and you were feeling negative at that time), and what I did was A, B, and C, and here are the next steps/what’s going to happen next and I assure you that fill in the blanks (which I hope makes you feel positive now) and say that with complete reassurance, confidence, and positivity.

3. Not Being Positive!!!

You need to have a positive can-do attitude all the time. But make sure the responses are appropriate.

For example, if a customer reaches out to vent their dissatisfaction, and your response is “I’d be more than happy to assist you…” then it’s probably not appropriate given that scenario.

I think that being Positive is such an important point that it deserves to be highlighted.

If there’s at least one thing you would take away from this article, it should be this, as you will impact both being agreeable (#1 above), and influencing the change in the customers emotions (#2 above).

Make it a policy so that the entire workplace is surrounded by positivity. Keep the environment positive. Highlight positivė behaviors.

Make it known to the people around uou that you do not tolerate negativity. Have it as a policy: No Negativity allowed here; Only Positivity allowed here.

4. Not Focusing on the Customer

When speaking to the customer, focus on the customer as if he/she were the only person in the world at that point in time

Don’t sound busy, distracted, or as if you’re doing something else like trying to reiterate what the customer was saying while pulling up information.

If you’re not able to fluidly multi-task, do one thing at a time, and set expectations if you need to check on something.

5. If you cannot explain the problem better than the customer, they will not associate you with the solution

This is probably self-explanatory but you get the picture right?

And that’s it! 5 quick and dirty insights on some of the most stupid things people do that negatively impact customer satisfaction.

This article is part of the Customer Experience series.

What do you think? Did I miss anything? Comment below if you think there are more!