Poor customer service? Here are the 7 consequences

What is bad customer service?

Customer service can be considered poor when it fails to meet customer expectations. Here are some examples of when customer service can be considered poor:

Lack of availability: if customer service is not available when customers need help, this can be considered bad. For example, if customer service is only available during business hours when customers expect 24/7 support.

Long wait times: if customers have to wait a long time before speaking with a customer service representative, this can be considered bad. Customers expect quick answers to their questions and problems.

Rude or unhelpful employees: if customer service employees are rude or unhelpful, it can be considered bad. Customers expect employees to be friendly, empathetic and knowledgeable.

No solution to problems: if customers contact customer service with a problem and the employees do not offer a solution, this can be considered bad. Customers expect their problems to be resolved quickly and effectively.

Poor communication: if customer service employees are unable to communicate clearly or have language barriers, this can be considered poor. Customers expect to be able to communicate effectively with customer service representatives.

In short, customer service is considered poor when it fails to meet customers' expectations regarding availability, wait times, employees, problem resolution and communication.

Why do we bother with poor customer service?

People are often annoyed by poor customer service because it affects their experience with the company. When customers have a problem and contact customer service, they expect their issue to be resolved quickly and effectively. If customer service does not meet these expectations and does not treat customers appropriately, it can lead to frustration, dissatisfaction and loss of trust in the company.

Poor customer service can also lead to reputational damage for the company. Customers often talk to others about their experiences, both positive and negative. If customers have bad customer service experiences, they may share these experiences through social media, online reviews or word of mouth, which can lead to a negative reputation for the company and the loss of potential customers.

In addition, poor customer service can also lead to lost sales. Customers may decide to stop doing business with a company if they have had bad experiences with customer service. In some cases, customers may even take legal action if they feel they have not been treated properly.

In short, poor customer service can have serious consequences for the company, including reputational damage, customer loss and reduced sales. Therefore, it is important for companies to take their customer service seriously and ensure a positive customer experience.

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What our customers say about our services

As a start-up, we were looking for a scalable solution for our international customer service. We then started a partnership with SpangenbergGroep. In the years that followed, we grew rapidly and SpangenbergGroep ensured that our customer service grew nicely along with us. From a few hundred interactions per month to a few hundred interactions per day across all possible channels. In particular, its flexibility and ability to completely unburden us have enabled us to grow from start-up to multinational.

"Our collaboration has now been running for almost 2 years and I must say it has exceeded my expectations. It is always difficult to convey product content knowledge remotely and this has also forced us to look at our own documentation and training courses. Working together has taught us, at least me, that it is unnecessary and actually undesirable to transfer all knowledge in this way. For instance, we now have comprehensive lists and work instructions, where before we built on the individual knowledge of our own team. Why go it alone when we know more together? In other words, why do it the hard way when it can be done together."

In our peak season, we had to deal with a large increase in customer inquiries. Since we operate in almost all European countries, this was a challenge. We started looking for a partner who could support us in Dutch, Spanish, Italian, German, French and English. In addition, we wanted support on telephony, e-mail, chat and ticketing. In the end, we chose SpangenbergGroep. We have now been working with them for 5 years. In high season we need a lot of staff there and in low season a lot less.

We have our own internal call center where we handle much of our customer service inquiries ourselves. SpangenbergGroup is a flexible shell for us. We have a permanent staff and SpangenbergGroup's team supports us when it's busy. In this way, we avoid a queue for our customers. The employees of SpangenbergGroep carry out almost all tasks, which means that they fully participate as the first line. This gives us the flexibility to be easily accessible even when we are busy.

With our webshop, we wanted to expand into Germany. We ourselves did not have any German-speaking employees who could answer customer service questions. SpangenbergGroup is now helping us with German customer service so that we can simply provide good accessibility for our German customers as well.

7 consequences of poor customer service

Poor customer service can have serious consequences for a company and its relationship with its customers. Below I describe 7 consequences of poor customer service:

Customer loss: When customers have a bad experience with customer service, they may decide not to do business with the company anymore. They may also leave negative reviews and warn others not to do business with the company.

Reduced customer satisfaction: Poor customer service can lead to customer dissatisfaction and can lead to loss of trust in the company.

Reputational damage: Customers often talk about their experiences, both positive and negative. Bad customer service experiences can spread quickly and lead to a negative reputation for the company.

Reduced sales: Customers who are not satisfied and no longer want to do business with the company lead to a reduction in the company's sales and profits.

Costs: Poor customer service can also incur additional costs, such as refunds, exchanges or repairs.

Loss of new customers: New customers may also be deterred by poor reviews and reputation, resulting in loss of new customers and growth opportunities.

Legal implications: In some cases, poor customer service can lead to legal problems, such as when customers are misled or deceived by the company.

In short, poor customer service can lead to reduced sales, reputational damage, costs, customer loss, reduced customer satisfaction, loss of new customers and even legal consequences. It is therefore essential for companies to provide good customer service and ensure customer satisfaction.

How to provide good customer service

Providing good customer service is essential to retaining customers and building a positive reputation for the company. Outsourcing customer service to specialized companies may be a solution. Below are some tips for providing good customer service:

Availability: Make sure customer service is available when customers need help. Offer different modes of communication, such as phone, email, chat, social media and make sure customers get a quick response.
Train and invest in employees: Ensure that employees involved in customer service are well-trained, knowledgeable and empathetic. Invest in their training and give them the tools and resources they need to help customers effectively.
Make customer satisfaction a priority: Make sure customer satisfaction is always a priority. Listen to customer feedback and take action to solve problems and improve customer experience.
Handle clear policies: Make sure policies are clear and transparent. Make them available to customers and make sure employees can explain and apply them.
Offer quick and effective solutions: Ensure that customers are helped to solve problems quickly and effectively. Offer different solutions and help customers find the best solution for their needs.
Be proactive: Proactively contact customers to inform them of problems or delays. Let them know that the company is committed to improving their experience.
Let customers know they are appreciated: Let customers know they are appreciated and thank them for their business. Offer discounts, rewards and other incentives to encourage customers to come back.

In short, good customer service is essential for retaining customers and building a positive reputation for the company. Companies can achieve this through availability, employee training, prioritizing customer satisfaction, clear policies, quick and effective solutions, proactivity and customer appreciation.

About SpangenbergGroup

We can help you make sure your customer service is good customer service. Just good customer service where the basics are in order. Where customer contacts add value to the customer experience. We relieve you in the area we are good at (customer service) so you can concentrate worry-free on what you do best. Sound good? Get in touch. You can use the form below.