The top reasons for customer dissatisfaction and how to manage them

Blog | February 10, 2022

Reading time: 8 min

What are the reasons for customer dissatisfaction? After all, customer disputes are a growing trend in business today. These disputes are often the result of dissatisfaction with a product or service. The most common cause of customer disputes is dissatisfaction, which stems from poor customer service, an overwhelming sense that the company does not care about them or the feeling that they are not being heard.

Many industries receive customer disputes. However, their dissatisfaction can be managed by re-assessing your customer service approach. So how can you manage customer complaints? Read on as we delve into the reasons for customer dissatisfaction, dispute resolution tactics, and what you can do to optimize your customer experience!

customer dissatisfaction-woman sitting in an office in front of a laptop with her left hand on her chin

What is a dissatisfied customer?

A dissatisfied customer is generally someone who has recently experienced an unpleasant incident with a company. A typical example is when, after purchasing at a store, the customer leaves feeling unhappy or frustrated with the service they received.

The reasons for customer dissatisfaction could be related to the product they purchased, their experience at a restaurant or retail store or anything else. Irritated customers can often be dealt with if their complaints are heard and dealt with promptly, often by providing what they want/need. However, customers are often dissatisfied with a product or service when they are not happy with the quality, quantity or price and will not purchase the product again.

What are the main reasons for frustrations?

Customer dissatisfaction is on the rise. As we see more and more companies enter the market, customers are becoming more dissatisfied with the quality of products and services. As a result, it’s getting more difficult for businesses to provide good customer service and maintain high-quality products at competitive prices.

Several factors contribute to the reasons for customer dissatisfaction, including:

  • High prices
  • Invoice disputes
  • Lack of quality
  • Lack of payment options (especially paper-only options)
  • Poor customer service
  • Lack of company transparency
  • Inadequate collections
  • Inaccurate information
  • Translation errors
  • Misunderstandings
  • Fulfillment

Customer dissatisfaction may stem from an increase in competition and lower margins for businesses. Competition is fierce in almost every industry. As a result, companies are struggling to uphold margins which leads to lower quality products, higher prices and poor customer service. It’s no wonder, then, that customer dissatisfaction is one of the most challenging issues businesses face. It can lead to reduced sales, which harms customer loyalty, brand loyalty and company profitability.

There are many reasons for customer dissatisfaction. Still, technology has created many avenues for customers to voice their displeasure with your company, whether through social media or some other form of blogging. If you're not proactive about managing your company's reputation, you could come across as unapproachable and uncaring.

employees meeting in an office gathered in front of a laptop

What are five things that the upset client may want?

People become upset for various reasons, and the customer may want multiple things. They most likely will not want anything that you offer. You must be able to identify what the customer wants and act accordingly.

Five things distraught customers are generally looking for include: 

  1. Venting their feelings
  2. Receiving an apology
  3. Talking to a manager
  4. Receiving a refund
  5. Replacing the product/service

There are many ways to handle a customer's dissatisfaction when it comes to customer service. Customers will usually want five things when they call to complain. The first is an apology. Customers want their feelings acknowledged and to know that the company cares.

The second is a solution. Often, the customer will want an item or service replaced or refunded to rectify the error.

Third, customers wish for compensation for any inconveniences caused by a mistake (such as time spent on hold). To make customers happy and satisfied, companies should offer compensation when errors are made. Expedited shipping, free products and discounts are all valid options.

The bottom line?

Allowing the customer to speak without interrupting, apologizing, speaking respectfully, and offering refunds, replacements, discounts, etc. can all show genuine concern and desire to make things right. The key to calming a customer down is showing them respect and doing what they ask.

collection professional woman taking a call

How do you handle a disappointed customer?

In the often-stressful world of customer service, it can be challenging to deal with angry customers. We'll share four tips for responding to angry customers to address this issue. Every customer is unique and deserves the most sincere and dedicated customer service. When customers are not happy, it's your job to make them feel like they're heard. After all, you and your AR team want happy customers! Below are a handful of core strategies to handle dissatisfied customers:

Identify the issue

The first step in handling a dissatisfied customer is identifying the customer's problem. If you can't solve the problem, it escalate it to someone with more expertise.

Identify the gaps

After identifying the issue at hand, make sure you understand what isn't being done. You can try to offer them compensation, but ultimately it's up to the customer if they want to stay with your company. Modernizing AR processes through AR software integration can also help shore up gaps in the customer payment process.

Prioritize customer service

Customer service is one of the most critical departments in every company. It doesn't matter how good your product or service may be. If you have unhappy customers, your business may suffer.

Make it easy for customers to reach out

If you are a company, you need to provide customers with a way of contacting you or reaching out to you to feel they have been heard. For example, if customer expresses their dissatisfaction with their product or service or wants to clarify details about the product or needs help with an order, they need to know that they can contact someone for help!

Meet the need

Once you have identified the problem, try to find a solution with the customer. They are likely looking for an apology or explanation of what happened. If this doesn't work, offer them some form of compensation.

Reap the power of AI

Managing customer dissatisfaction is the most critical thing to do to keep customers. With artificial intelligence (AI), companies can finally offer a quality service to keep their customers happy. AI creates personalized customer experiences by understanding their needs, preferences and emotions based on their collected data. As a result, companies can create customized solutions for each individual's needs using AI-based AR software.

Don’t take it personally

A dissatisfied customer can be an opportunity for growth. There are various ways to deal with the issue of an unhappy customer, but it's important to remember not to take it personally. Whether you want to offer a refund or make amends, it is the customer's problem and not yours.

How can unhappy clients affect a business?

Dissatisfied customers can come in many forms. For example, they might be unhappy because of poor customer service, an issue with the product they purchased or many other reasons. If these purchasers are not satisfied with the quality of service or product they received, they can spread their dissatisfaction through social media or by telling their friends and family.

Therefore, companies must identify these customers and address their concerns to ensure that the company's reputation is maintained.

Dissatisfied customers can be a significant issue for businesses. They can lead to:

  • Decreased revenue
  • Wasted resources
  • Decreased customer retention rate
  • Decreased sales
  • Bad debt expense
  • Legal ramifications

Dissatisfied customers can have a significant impact on any business. They have the potential to take your business down with negative reviews, word-of-mouth and social media posts. However, customer service is key to keeping your loyal following happy. Therefore, companies need to provide their customers with assurances to meet their expectations, keep an eye on customer satisfaction levels and promptly take care of any issues that arise.

Final thoughts on managing customer dissatisfaction

The reasons for customer dissatisfaction and quality assurance can be big problems for most companies. Therefore, it is vital to work with the customer and find the root cause of their dissatisfaction to fix it.

Client disputes are inevitable in any business. No one is perfect, and mistakes will happen. However, there are ways to combat customer dissatisfaction and turn it into a positive experience. To start, focus on the customer and their needs rather than what you need to sell them. It's also critical  to empathize with your customers when something goes wrong. Find a way to make them feel heard.

To reduce the reasons for customer dissatisfaction, businesses should ensure their product is exactly what is advertised. In addition, every customer should be given a reasonable amount of time to return the goods for refund or exchange. An automated accounting AR software  can help simplify the process. It also helps customers avoid being scammed by companies with faulty products. There are many problems with this, but one of the biggest is time. It takes time to go through and find a new product and ship it back, which can be costly and frustrating for customers. Providing the best customer service possible can help to alleviate this.