Best practices for resolving customer distrust

Why Are Your Customers Doing Your Job? This morning, I overheard part of a conversation at the airport that stuck with me. A woman was coaching a family member on how to handle a situation with a company. Her advice? “Make sure to mention X, Y, and Z—they won’t ask, but it’s important,” and “Don’t forget to request specific follow-up, or they won’t do it.” At first, it struck me as neurotic. But then I thought: what happened in her past experience that made her feel she had to be the expert? That she couldn’t trust the company to manage the situation without her micromanaging every step? This isn’t an isolated incident. I’ve seen it time and again—customers feeling like they have to overprepare, overexplain, and overcompensate because they’ve learned the hard way that the organization they’re dealing with won’t get it right otherwise. And let me tell you, that is a massive red flag for any company. The Harm of Making Customers the Experts: Eroded Trust: If your customers feel like they need to teach you how to help them, trust is out the window. Unnecessary Frustration: Nobody wants to feel like they have to do the work for the service they’re paying for. It’s exhausting and breeds resentment. Lost Loyalty: Frustrated customers are unlikely to return or recommend your brand. Worse, they’ll tell others about their bad experience. Opportunity Cost: When your customers are busy being your quality control, you’re missing the chance to wow them with service that exceeds expectations. Here’s the Harsh Truth: If your customers feel like they need to be experts, your employees probably aren’t empowered, trained, or motivated enough to deliver on your promises. That’s a process issue, a culture issue, and ultimately, a leadership issue. What Should Companies Do? 1. Teach and Equip Your Team: Employees should be the experts—trained to anticipate customer needs and empowered to solve problems proactively. 2. Simplify Processes: If the customer has to ask for specific follow-up or spell out their needs, your processes are working against them. Fix that. 3. Close the Feedback Loop: Customers shouldn’t feel like they need to check in or follow up. Build systems to ensure communication doesn’t fall through the cracks. 4. Prove Yourself Every Time: Each interaction is a chance to rebuild trust—or destroy it. Choose wisely. The goal should be simple: your customers should leave an interaction thinking, “Wow, they really understood me and handled everything seamlessly.” Anything less, and you’re creating friction where there shouldn’t be any. Your customers don’t want to be experts in your processes. They just want to feel cared for, heard, and supported. Make that happen, and you’ll stand out in a world full of companies that are still falling short. #customerexperience #cx #customerservice

as CSMs, we’re always climbing this silent uphill battle We want our clients to trust us… to see us as strategic partners, not just “the point of contact” for a software vendor But here’s where a lot of us go wrong: On customer calls, we think things like: 🤓 “I need to sound like an expert.” 🤓 “I should always have the answer.” 🤓 “If I admit I don’t know, they’ll think I’m unqualified.” But the thing is.. trust doesn’t come from having all the answers. The BEST way to build trust is by asking questions. If you can: → Ask questions that make execs pause and rethink their priorities → Follow the thread instead of rushing back to your agenda → Make space for customers to share what lights them up (or keeps them up)... ‼️ That’s how you move from just another vendor to a trusted advisor. Your clients don’t expect you to know everything about their business (how could you?) But they DO expect you to care enough to ask. I know that early in my own CS career, the belief that I had to have all the answers probably cost me a ton of trust (and revenue) 🥲 I wish this was something more CSMs were taught explicitly. Curious - which is harder for you right now: Knowing what to ask? Or not jumping in with a solution right away? lmk in the comments 👇

Want to de-escalate frustrated customers fast? In Customer Success, it’s easy to panic when a customer is upset — a bug, a missed email, a delay in onboarding. But there’s one phrase that has saved me more times than I can count: “𝘚𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰 — 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺.” It’s simple, but powerful. Because when a customer is frustrated, they don’t just want apologies. They want certainty. They want to know someone owns it. The mistake many CSMs make is overpromising in the moment just to calm things down… and then falling short on the follow-through. That’s how you lose trust. Fast. Instead, here’s how to build it back: 𝟭. 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 Let them know you're on it. Not just emotionally — tactically. 𝟮. 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 Tell them what exactly you’re going to do, by when, and what they should expect next. 𝟯. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 Even if you don’t have a resolution, commit to an update. That’s what gives them confidence you’re actually driving this. 𝟰. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 If you say you’ll follow up at 4pm — follow up at 4pm. Even a few minutes late erodes trust. Early is better. Note: Almost every time I send my follow up email exactly when I promised, the frustrated customer has responded with gratitude for my ownership and commitment to resolving their issue. This kind of discipline transforms tense situations into moments of loyalty. Because customers remember how you show up when things go wrong. Say what you’ll do. Do what you said. That’s how you turn a negative experience into a positive partnership. What steps do you take to build trust during an escalated customer issue? #customersuccess #playbooks

Saw this car in the parking lot at the grocery store earlier this week. At first, I read it and walked by. But then I went back to capture the pic. Of course, since I don't know the whole story, I edited the pic to take out the auto dealer's name, etc. Whoever owns this car was so upset with them they took the time to have two of these signs made and affixed to each side of the vehicle. Got me thinking. What did this dealer do or not do to make this person so upset? No matter who your customer, client, guest, etc. is how can we make sure you are not the next sign on a car, or a venting post on social media, etc. We've all been there—anticipating a seamless interaction with a business, only to walk away feeling unheard, undervalued, or frustrated. Disappointing customer service leaves a lasting impression, often more so than exceptional experiences. Why does it sting so much? Expectations. As customers, we expect service that is efficient, empathetic, and solution-oriented. When reality falls short, it can breed resentment and tarnish trust. So, how can businesses overcome these moments of disappointment and turn them into opportunities? 1️⃣ Acknowledge the Gap: Own the mistake and apologize sincerely. A heartfelt acknowledgment goes a long way toward rebuilding trust. 2️⃣ Listen to Understand: Often, customers, guests, clients, etc. just want to feel heard. Listening with the intent to solve, not just to respond, can transform a negative interaction into a collaborative solution. 3️⃣ Empower Employees: Ensure your team has the tools, training, and autonomy to make things right in the moment. Empowered employees are your first line of defense against customer dissatisfaction. 4️⃣ Exceed Recovery Expectations: If a service failure occurs, go above and beyond to rectify it. This might mean a refund, a thoughtful gesture, or simply taking the time to follow up. 5️⃣ Learn and Evolve: Treat every complaint as a learning opportunity. What systems or processes can be improved to prevent this from happening again? ✅ Disappointing customer service is not the end of the road; it’s a chance to showcase your values and commitment to your customers. Every business makes mistakes—it’s how you handle them that sets you apart. ❓ Have you ever turned around a poor service experience, either as a customer or a professional? Would love to hear what you have done to overcome!!! Let’s discuss ways we can all grow from these moments.

"Can you believe they completely ignored our feedback?" The prospective client's voice was filled with frustration. "It feels like they've forgotten we exist." This was more than just a complaint— and I knew right then that something had to change. We often talk about customer centricity, but how often do we truly reflect on what it means? My career started in a call center, where the customer was everything. Every call and every interaction was a reminder that the customer wasn't just a part of the business—they were the reason for it. As I've grown in my career, this mindset of "client first" has stayed with me. But hearing this client's dissatisfaction made me pause and ask: Are we really putting the customer first in everything we do? In the rush of targets, processes, and metrics, it's easy to lose sight of the customer. But when we do, the consequences are real—disconnected relationships, unmet expectations, and ultimately, lost trust. So, how can we ensure that customer centricity isn't just a buzzword but a guiding principle in our work? Here's what you can consider: 👉🏻 Listen, Really Listen: Take the time to understand your customers' pain points. What are they unhappy about? What's missing in their current experience? Truly listening can reveal insights that lead to better solutions. 👉🏻 Be Proactive, Not Reactive: Waiting for a problem to escalate is not the way to go. Anticipate your customers' needs and address potential issues before they become real concerns. This proactive approach not only prevents issues but also shows that you're not just meeting expectations—you're exceeding them. 👉🏻 Personalize Your Approach: Customers appreciate when you remember the little things. Whether it's recalling past interactions or tailoring your service to their specific needs, personalization makes a huge difference in how valued they feel. 👉🏻 Collaborate, Don't Dictate: Work with your customers, not just for them. Involve them in the process, seek their input, and make them feel like true partners. This collaboration builds trust and fosters long-term relationships. 👉🏻 Reflect and Improve: After every interaction, take a moment to reflect. What went well? What could be improved? Continuous reflection ensures that you're always aligning your work with your customers' evolving needs. Have you ever had a moment where a customer's feedback made you stop and think? I'd love to hear your experiences and any tips you have for staying customer-centric. #CustomerCentricity #ClientFirst #CustomerExperience

In the last 10 years, I managed over 100 accounts myself and probably interacted with over 2000 that my team manages. After building 100s of relationships, I've discovered something surprising. Trust isn't built through grand gestures or perfect presentations. It's built through consistency. Research shows when B2B customers view a vendor as a trusted adviser, they generate 1.5x greater revenue and are 2.5x more likely to repurchase. But here's the shocking part: only 31% of B2B customers believe their vendors truly understand their needs. This gap isn't just concerning, it's a massive opportunity. There are four pillars that transform ordinary vendor relationships into unbreakable partnerships. 1 - Competence Not just expertise, but applied knowledge that solves real problems. As Samuel☔️ Thimothy wisely noted, "Your goal as a business is to prove to your customers that you're their best shot." 2 - Integrity In B2B, where multiple stakeholders are involved, ethical consistency isn't optional, it's essential for survival. 3 - Reliability Meeting deadlines isn't just about calendar management, it's about proving your client can build their success on your foundation. 4. Empathy Understanding your client's business as if it were your own. This isn't just good service; it's good business. I recently read the story of a global packaging supplier who revolutionized their approach by creating a dedicated insights department. Instead of just delivering products, they delivered market intelligence. The result? Their customers now view them as indispensable partners, not interchangeable vendors. Building trust isn't an event, it's a daily practice. It's delivering slightly more than promised, consistently over time. It's acknowledging mistakes quickly. It's celebrating your clients' wins as if they were your own. Kelly Van Arsdale put it perfectly: "The more reliable and professional you can be, the more likely someone is to continue being a customer." What's one small consistency you could implement tomorrow that would build trust with your clients? Share in the comments, I'd love to learn from your experience. __ ♻️ Reshare this post if it can help others! __ ▶️ Want to see more content like this? You should join 2297+ members in the Tidbits WhatsApp Community! 💥 [link in the comments section]

Working through conflict is hard. I remember feeling so defeated when a customer would express disappointment; internalizing it as if they were expressing disappointment in me. It took time to realize that it's actually no different than any other relationship in our lives - working through conflict gives us the opportunity to build stronger connections with the people around us, and deliver solutions that show just how much you value the relationship. Working with escalated customers is no different. Here are three tips that have helped me: First, shift your mindset. 💡 Complaints are actually opportunities to make things better for both the business and the customer. This reframing helps you move into an objective position instead of an emotional one. Next, even if you agree with the customer's complaint...our role is to advocate for the business, and a mutual outcome. Balance empathy with candor. ⚖️ Lastly, advocating for the customer should not come at the cost of building trust with your internal teams to help resolve it. Be empowered to own the issue, but remember that a sense of responsibility goes both ways. 🔄 Ultimately, navigating customer conflict isn't just about resolving issues; it's about building a culture of trust and collaboration that elevates the entire customer experience.