Everyone knows that customers are the lifeblood of a company. Yet it is surprising how easily companies drive customers away -- often unintentionally. Common and often-discussed causes of customer dissatisfaction include unfriendly people in front-line positions such as clerk or receptionist; poor product quality; or a continuous busy signal.

These obvious problems are the first sign of low customer awareness. But there is a deeper level that you may not have considered. Here are a dozen reasons why customers will go to your competitor. Among them:

1. Incomplete information. The brochure sent to potential customers doesn't include all pertinent information or it is poorly designed. Discovering the date, time, and cost information is difficult and frustrating.

2. Special offers with hidden features. The advertisement claims that a certain product costs $20, but there is an additional $3.50 shipping charge, the price only applies if you call first to activate a code, or it is good only for certain colors. A recent advertisement for a local gym offered a discount rate for students -- limited to high school-aged students. Any exceptions to a promotional offer should be clearly stated, such as children under 12, people over 50, arriving before 2 p.m., and so on.

3. No street numbers on your building or signs on your buildings that are easily readable to drivers.

4. High-pressure sales tactics. Being too eager to do more business can result in offensive tactics. A more subtle version occurs when the buyer says no, yet the salesperson continues to hammer away as if the buyer's wishes are unimportant.

5. Not accepting responsibility. The company rep spends time justifying, offering excuses, or not returning the call at all when something goes wrong, instead of solving the problem. The rep may even blame the user for the problem.

6. Surly employees. There is nothing more unpleasant than explaining a situation, concern, or problem to a rude, abrupt, or surly person on the other end of the line.

7. Poor follow-through. If you tell clients that you will be in the office all day Thursday to accept calls, then you should actually be there all day Thursday. Answer the phone when it rings. If you are tied up on another line, be sure to check your voice mail often and promptly call people back.

8. Poor response. Taking too long to get back to a customer or client gives the impression that the company is insincere and uninterested in your business. An office product company in San Francisco, Johnny-on-the-spot during the sale, stopped returning calls two weeks later when the printer developed problems.

9. Not listening. Here is a common scenario at a restaurant: The caller says, "I would like a reservation for three for dinner this Thursday at 7 p.m." If the response is a series of questions -- what time, how many, what day -- it makes you wonder what the employee was doing as you spoke the first time.

10. Pettiness. Bad impressions are made, particularly with large contracts, when you nickel and dime a client by charging for every incidental expense, such as copies, short phone calls, bridge tolls, and tips.

11. Arrogance. Companies may act like they are doing you a favor by taking your money. "Customers are the reason for our business, not an interruption to our business" should be the company motto.

12. Treating the user as an idiot. The company rep may be condescending or begin to speak very slowly, carefully, and more loudly than usual, as though he or she were speaking to an intellectually impaired person.

-- Odette Pollar is a nationally known speaker, author, and consultant; she is also president of Smart Ways to Work based in Oakland, California. Her most recent book is Take Back Your Life. Please share your comments and questions by e-mail: Odette@SmartWaysToWork.com or 800/599-TIME. This story is part of a nationally syndicated series.

First published October 20, 2000
Last updated July 10, 2008
Copyright © 2000 Consumer Health Interactive

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