Building Trust with Customers After a Service Failure

Own. Your. Mistakes. I was recently reminded of a moment with a client who’d gotten themselves into a bit of a mess. They’d missed a delivery timeline for a MAJOR retailer and shipped a batch of products that were not up to par. The retailer’s response? “You’re done. We’re out.” Now, when you mess up with a big client, the last thing you want to do is point fingers. But that's exactly what my client did. They panicked. Got defensive. And started blaming everyone and everything but themselves. So as we worked to troubleshoot, I asked, “Did you apologize?” Nope. “Did you sit across the table and say, ‘You expect quality products, on time. We didn’t deliver. We’re sorry.’” Again... nope. We prepped hard for the next conversation. And this time, my client went in and OWNED their error. They started with a full mea culpa. Acknowledged the failure. And (this is key) immediately pivoted to how they were going to make it right. You know what happened next? The retailer listened. And my client kept the business. Sometimes, managing a mistake in an important situation is not about explaining. Or defending. Or pointing fingers. It’s about taking a deep breath, looking the other party in the eye, and saying, "We messed up. And here’s how we’ll make it right." It's not necessarily about being humble. It's about prioritizing your customer's experience. Validating THEIR moment, THEIR needs, THEIR let down. And then addressing it head on. Providing the pathway forward. Rebuilding the trust brick by brick. And you can't do that if you pretend you hit a grand slam when really, you fouled out. Apologize. Make it right. Create the path forward.

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.