Customer Experience Spoilers: 4 Ways Your Company May Be Inadvertently Annoying Customers

Jeff Mowatt

Nov 26, 2019

By Jeff Mowatt

What words do you think customers would use to describe what it’s like when doing business with your company — responsive, easy, approachable? Or are they more apt to say rigid, robotic, bureaucratic? Customers of course prefer to buy from suppliers who are easy to work with. What might surprise you is even though as a manager you might think your company creates positive customer experiences, in fact there may be several ways your organization may be unintentionally turning customers off.

Often customers won’t tell you about them because they may not be consciously aware of them. What they will do is quietly choose a different supplier next time. See if these four subtle customer turnoffs are oozing through the cracks of your company’s foundations.

Turnoff 1: punishing policies

We all know the importance of building a brand that instils feelings of trust. Unfortunately, when companies operate with restrictive customer policies, all that goodwill begins to crumble. Half the problem is the word “policy”. It implies rigid rules and regulations. To avoid this turnoff, customer-friendly organizations replace the word policies with guidelines. For example: “Delivery guideline: for onsite service, we typically schedule within x days. Let us know your timing and we’ll see if we can accommodate.” Notice how the wording sounds like real people who are trying to be helpful. I’m not suggesting that companies abandon policies. Instead, dial down the legal jargon, soften the wording, and make it sound like your company is run by real people.

Turnoff 2: complex contracts

To do business with your company, are there multiple contracts/rules/hoops that customers have to jump through? Do your contracts sound like they are written like you expect to be sued? As a general guideline I’d suggest that any contract for dollar amounts under $10,000 should be readable within five minutes. Worth 100k? – Ten minutes. Problem is many organizations have lengthy multipage contracts regardless of the amount at stake, forcing customers to spend way too much admin time. In other words, companies make their own customers resent doing business with them at the outset of the relationship. Bear in mind that lengthy contracts raise alarm bells that the company must have failed and been sued in the past or are anticipating future lawsuits. Hardly inspires customer confidence.

Turnoff 3: disclaimer disconnect

No doubt you’ve received emails — or maybe even sent them — where at the bottom of the email in fine print there’s a blurb stating, “This message is confidential and intended solely for the person named here… files may not be shared… blah, blah, blah.” These clauses imply that as the recipient you are legally bound to maintain some sort of confidentiality. It’s nonsense. Just because someone sends you an email that includes fine print at the bottom stating they don’t want you to share the contained information, doesn’t mean you’re obliged to comply. It holds no legal authority or protection of confidentiality. What it does do is make the recipient (a customer) get the feeling they are dealing with a bureaucracy run by litigators instead of managers. If there is something you don’t want customers to share, then ask them to sign a confidentiality agreement up front. Other than that, you can’t prevent a customer from sharing an email if they want to. So, don’t bother with all the legalese for a simple email.

Turnoff 4: faceless frontline

One of the most common customer annoyances — and easiest to eliminate — is when employees don’t identify themselves in person or on the phone. As I point out in my Trusted Advisor seminars, more than basic courtesy, when you introduce yourself to customers and/or wear easily readable nametags, it tells them that you are someone who is comfortable being held accountable. Conversely, employees whose names are not displayed or readily offered seem to be hiding behind a veil of bureaucracy. It’s an easy fix that builds trust.

Bottom line question: what’s your organization really like to work with? Check your customer communications practices and see how your company could sound less guarded, and more like you’re open for doing business.

This article is based on the bestselling book, Influence with Ease by Hall of Fame motivational speaker Jeff Mowatt. To obtain your own copy of his book or to inquire about engaging Jeff for your team, visit www.jeffmowatt.com. Watch for more articles from Jeff in future issues.

 

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • Celebrating 30 Years of Innovation and Collaboration at EFC’s 2025 Conference in Niagara

    Celebrating 30 Years of Innovation and Collaboration at EFC’s 2025 Conference in Niagara

    By Luc Rodier, Chair of the Board of Electro-Federation Canada (EFC) The 2025 EFC Conference in Niagara was a landmark occasion—marking 30 years of innovation, collaboration, and collective progress in the Canadian electrical industry. Set against the symbolic backdrop of the Canadian-U.S. border, this year’s theme, Electrifying Connections, couldn’t have been more fitting. As President and… Read More…

  • Industrial Wiring Devices: A Brief Intro and How to Choose Them

    Industrial Wiring Devices: A Brief Intro and How to Choose Them

    June 9, 2025 Introduction: With the multitude of options on the market, it can be difficult to decide whether you need a pin and sleeve wiring device or a plug and connector in your industrial plant or facility. You might find your head swirling with thoughts about which option is best. Or you may not… Read More…

  • Industry Leaders Head to Quebec to Strengthen Energy and Supply Chain Resilience

    Industry Leaders Head to Quebec to Strengthen Energy and Supply Chain Resilience

    June 9, 2025 By Electro-Federation Canada On June 3 and 4, a high-level delegation from Canada’s electrical and automation sector travelled to Montreal and Quebec City for a series of strategic meetings with Quebec government officials and key stakeholders. Organized by Electro-Federation Canada (EFC), this mission underscores the critical role the industry plays in advancing… Read More…

  • Electrifying Connections: A Celebration of Legacy, A Vision for the Future

    Electrifying Connections: A Celebration of Legacy, A Vision for the Future

    June 9, 2025 By Electro-Federation Canada This year’s Annual Industry Conference, held against the breathtaking backdrop of Niagara Falls, Ontario, was a landmark event with more than 710 Electro-Federation Canada community members. More than just a celebration of our shared history, it was a launchpad for new ideas, future-based dialogue, and deeper connections.   The energy and… Read More…


Changing Scene