It’s easier to destroy something than to build it, which is why a seemingly simple mistake in customer service can ruin your business’s reputation. Don’t want to get on the bad side of your customers? Then avoid the following:

Slow responses

Speed is essential when dealing with customers, especially those with complaints. The longer it takes for you to reply, the angrier they get. And even those who weren’t upset, to begin with, will get impatient if you make them wait too long. Note that 77% of adults in the US feel that valuing their time is part of good customer service.

Broken promises

Companies keep their word only half the time, resulting in irate customers. Thus, don’t tarnish your brand’s reputation by making promises you can’t deliver on. Otherwise, people will lose their trust in you. For example, if you say shipping takes one to two calendar days, then ensure purchased items reach their buyers within that time frame. If you can’t fulfill that, set more realistic expectations.

Poor knowledge

Your customer service agents should be the experts, so “I don’t know” is not an acceptable response. Even if they don’t know the answer, they should tactfully frame their response like “I’ll look this up and get back to you.” Customers don’t like it when they know more than the agents.

Thank you Jitbit.com for this great infographic!