Is Poor Customer Service Costing You Customers?
August 7, 2025
Great customer service isn’t just about being polite or solving problems quickly. It’s a reflection of your company culture, leadership, and operational planning. I want to share a lesson I learned unexpectedly at 16 years old, one that still applies today, especially for businesses struggling to keep customers coming back. Customer service is often talked about but rarely addressed at the root. What are employers really doing to improve it and more importantly, what are they overlooking?
The truth is the relationship between employer, employee, and customer is deeply interconnected. It’s circular. If your employees are unhappy, it will eventually show how your customers are treated. When customer experience suffers, so do your sales. And that decline in revenue impacts everything, from morale to retention to long term viability.
Common Causes of Poor Customer Service
Many businesses experience service breakdowns due to:
Long wait or response times caused by staffing issues, poor planning, or system inefficiencies
Negative employee attitudes, often stemming from burnout, unclear expectations, or lack of recognition
Low motivation, when employees don’t feel invested in or appreciated
These aren’t just surface level issues. They reflect deeper operational and leadership gaps that can quietly erode customer loyalty over time.
A Real-World Example
When I turned 16, I got a job at a local pizza place as a Customer Service Representative. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the business strategy behind it, but I took real pride in doing the job well. Whether over the phone or at the drive-thru window, I aimed to make every customer interaction a positive one.
What I also didn’t know was that our district was going to run a competition for the best CSR. I wasn’t trying to win at first because I just naturally cared about the work and how customers were treated. But I ended up being ranked number one in the district, simply because of how I consistently handled customers, with respect, accuracy, and a problem-solving mindset.
Looking back, it’s clear that the competition wasn’t just about recognition. It was a well-designed incentive to improve service, boost employee morale, and ultimately increase sales. That one small initiative created a ripple effect. It engaged employees, satisfied customers, and gave stronger performance across the board.
And yes, the $50 reward was nice. But the lasting impact was much bigger than that.
Three Practical Ways to Improve Service Immediately
If you want to improve customer experience in your business, start with these foundational steps:
Invest in employee engagement
When employees feel supported, empowered, and respected, they show up differently, for each other and for your customers.
Incentivize excellence
Recognize and reward the behaviors you want to see more of. It doesn’t require large budgets, just thoughtful execution.
Plan ahead operationally
Anticipate peak hours, adjust staffing accordingly, and streamline systems to reduce customer frustration and internal pressure.
Customer service isn’t just a frontline issue; it’s also a leadership one. If the customer experience is failing, look inward. A few strategic changes in how you lead, prepare, and support your people can transform how your customers experience your brand.
Whether you’re leading a small team or managing a growing business, customer service should never be treated as an afterthought. It’s a direct reflection of how well you’re supporting your people and anticipating the needs of your customers. The solution doesn’t always require a full overhaul. Sometimes, the biggest impact starts with small, intentional changes. Reward your people. Prepare for the rush. Pay attention.