6 Causes of Poor Customer Experience

6 Causes of Poor Customer Experience

Do you know what can build or destroy a BRAND? It’s the way people feel when they interact with it that can make or break a brand.

Only a few brands really get this. The ones that do, keep giving their best. Zappos, South-West Airlines, Starbucks (outside India), Apple (outside India), Ritz-Carlton, Grand Hyatt, and many others have changed the way customers experience their brand.

However, there are many big brands that claim to be customer-focused but still don’t meet expectations. So, why do brands fail to meet the most “basic” needs of their customers?

Here are some real examples of poor customer experiences.

My own experience with a top Private bank – I’ve had a Premium account with this bank for over 15 years. Netbanking has made things easy, but for certain things, you still need to visit the branch. Your so-called Relationship Manager will greet you politely and then immediately start pushing investment options without trying to build a bond. For a simple KYC, I had to wait for an hour because the Relationship Manager didn’t understand the rules for LLP and kept applying rules for a Pvt. Ltd. Company. The executive just said she was new and didn’t know about this portfolio. Fair enough, but customers don’t need to know that. Focus on learning and improving. Most importantly, focus on creating a valuable experience.

India’s Top Multiplex Chain fails to please – Last year, this Multiplex chain hosted a Preview of Jurassic World: Dominion. They had a chance to make it special for the movie buffs who came to enjoy their favorite franchise a day before the rest of the world. Instead, they ruined it by giving out poor 3D glasses, with no ushers to help, and with the lights off, so everyone had to find their own seats. They even stopped the movie midway for 15 minutes of ads. A terrible experience!

E-commerce Giant Disappoints – an e-commerce giant couldn’t deliver a Memory Keeper machine, and it took them 1.5 months to inform us it was stuck with customs. They finally connected us with the seller, who didn’t bother to communicate or apologize for the delay. After a lot of back and forth, we had to cancel the order. Recently, a colleague shared the hassles she faced while receiving her online phone delivery from the same e-commerce giant.

So, why do you think companies fail to deliver a good customer experience? *Here are some reasons*:

1. Not knowing themselves – This is the root cause of many issues. When people don’t know who they truly are, they go through life without purpose. A job or task is just a way to make money. There’s nothing wrong with this, but understanding your strengths, weaknesses, passions, and triggers can free you from taking others for granted, including your customers.
2. Lack of purpose – When you don’t know your ‘what’ and ‘why,’ you often switch jobs for money and status. Money becomes a means of growth, not the end goal, when you know your purpose.
3. Process-focused approach – If you’re too focused on processes, you might miss creating an experience when things go beyond those processes.
4. Target-driven – When organizations prioritize impressing investors and meeting financial targets, customer experience often takes a back seat. They need to focus on developing their people to create a better experience for customers.
5. Poor understanding of the product/service – When you don’t understand how your product or service can improve your customer’s life, you’re just selling for the sake of it. Understanding this can help create the experience you want.
6. Fear of the unknown – Lack of self-awareness can create a fear of the unknown, keeping you from creating a good experience for yourself or your clients.

Experience is about making connections. Connect with yourself first, understand your true self and purpose, and then create unforgettable experiences for your clients.

Remember, creating a great customer experience doesn’t always require something extraordinary. It’s about touching the hearts of your customers through simple actions.

In the next post, we’ll discuss steps to Enhance Overall Customer Experience Quality.