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6 Bad Customer Service Skills that are Costing You Customers

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6 Bad Customer Service Skills that are Costing You Customers

Bad customer service skills will cost you customers

Are you looking to improve your customer service skills?

Customer service is a huge part of earning and maintaining the business of your customers, but it is often overlooked.

You may be losing customers due to poor customer service skills, but how are you supposed to make improvements when there’s no time for a training session?

You shouldn’t be afraid of making improvements to your business’s customer service skills because you think training your employees will take too much time.

With our list of 6 bad customer service skills, you’ll be able to recognize your business’s weaknesses and make improvements today!

Improve Your Customer Service Skills By Fixing These 6 Mistakes

You don’t have to completely redo your business model to improve your customer service skills.

When it comes to good customer service skills, if you know how to recognize your business’s weaknesses, you can easily make improvements.

1. Mumbling

If a customer has a question, they’re going to want to hear the answer.

An unclear response from an employee will cause frustration and a lack of clarity.

Imagine this: a customer at a shop has a question about the price of an item. When he asks an employee for help, he cannot make out the response. The volume is too low, the words are strong together, and the voice is practically a whisper by the end of the sentence.

This customer could ask for the employee to repeat herself, but he will most likely receive the same frustrating response the second time.

Now the customer still doesn’t know the price of the item. Instead of making a purchase, he leaves the shop empty-handed.

Replace Mumbling With Excellent Customer Service Skills

It’s easy not to mumble, just speak up. As far as customer service skills go, a discernable speaking voice goes a long way.

Speak in a clear slow voice at a volume customers will understand. Enunciate your words clearly, and don’t lower your volume at the end of your sentences.

A clear speaking voice will tell customers that you are confident in the information you give them.

customer service skills make all the difference

They’ll trust what you say and be more likely to go through with a sale.

2. Not Smiling

You could have all the answers.

You could know everything there is to know about your business, but if your delivery is poor, your customers will still be unsatisfied with your customer service skills.

If you have a frown or a passive face while helping a customer, they may feel like it is bothersome to have asked for help.

Improve Your Customer Service Skills with a Smile

One easy and excellent customer service skill is to simply smile. It assures your customers that you are happy to help them. It says that you care about them and want to help.

If you smile and greet customers warmly, they’ll see you as trustworthy and be more likely to seek your help.

good customer service skills will grow your business

Once you are able to assist customers, there’s a better chance that they’ll make a purchase.

3. Hiding Lack of Knowledge

It can be embarrassing to feel like you don’t have the answer to a customer’s question.

You may attempt to hide this fact by avoiding the question or simply making something up.

However, this won’t help your customer at all. Remember: you are there to assist your customers, not boost your own confidence.

False information can drive customers away or create a larger problem in the long-run.

You may feel like it’s your job to know everything, but when you don’t, hiding your lack of knowledge appears dishonest and unprofessional.

Be Honest

You can’t know the answers to all the questions all the time. Your customers will understand this.

When you don’t know the answer to a question, let your customer know that you don’t know the answer at the moment, but you will find out as soon as possible.

Outline your plan to find the answer, and tell your customer how you plan to relay the information to them. Then get them the answer as soon as possible.

Your customer will be assured that they have accurate information. They’ll appreciate the lengths you went to to get it to them as well as your customer service skills.

4. Passing Off Responsibility

Just like hiding it when you don’t know the answer to a question, not taking responsibility for a mistake can be off-putting to a customer.

It shows a lack of credibility.

Picture this: a customer walks into a clothing store and sees a pile of sweaters left unfolded on a table. If she reports the state of the sweaters to you and you respond, “Oh, Greg was supposed to fold those,” you appear immature and unprofessional.

Customers won’t be impressed with your customer service skills if you pass off responsibilities.

Take Charge of the Situation with Good Customer Service Skills

Even if the error wasn’t your fault, you can still take responsibility and handle it yourself.

All of your employees should have excellent customer service skills

When it comes to customer service skills, you don’t want to say or do anything that reflects poorly on the business, so don’t go telling all your customers that Greg forgot to fold the sweaters.

Next time a customer points out something like this, respond with a simple, “Thank you for letting me know, I’ll take care of it right away.”

Customers will appreciate your polite nature as well as your willingness to take charge of the situation.

5. Speaking Poorly About Your Job

You may not love where you work, but your customers don’t need to know that.

Speaking poorly about your job is one of the most disconcerting ways to drive customers away.

A bad attitude at work can make itself known in many different ways. You may express boredom to a customer or say how excited you are for your shift to end. Maybe you speak poorly about your boss or your coworkers. Either way, it reflects poorly on you and your business.

Customers will see this bad attitude as your lack of confidence in the business. Why should they have confidence in a business when its employees don’t?

Display a Positive Attitude

A positive attitude about your job and your company is a customer service skill that goes a long way.

Maintain a sunny demeanor when working with customers. This will show them that you are proud of the job you have and the company you work for.

Even when a customer expresses frustration, empathize with them by showing that you understand what they are feeling, but don’t go so far as trash talking your own company.

By remaining positive about your job, customers will begin to feel more positive as well.

Customer service skills are essential

6. Bad Posture

Maybe you slouch. Maybe you lean against furniture. Perhaps you scuff your feet when you walk.

We get it. It’s easy to feel tired, especially when you’ve been working since 8 am. However, as tired as you may be, you should always maintain a professional appearance.

If you slouch or have bad posture while speaking with a customer, they may think that you would rather not be speaking with them.

It appears as if you don’t care about your job and can’t be bothered to put in any work.

Customers want to shop and do business where employees are happy to help, not too bothered to care.

Show You are Proud

When you’re at work, consider yourself a walking, talking advertisement for your business.

You can display your pride and confidence in your business simply by standing up straight.

You’ll appear more professional, and customers will see you as someone ready and willing to help.

Improve Your Customer Service Skills Today!

By recognizing where your customer service skills may be lacking, you can easily improve the skills of yourself and your employees.

Don’t wait to make adjustments. You can easily improve your customer service skills and better your business today with the adjustments listed above.

Are you interested in learning more about customer service? Check out our post, 8 Best Customer Service Examples to Inspire Your Team.

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Example of High Risk Merchants

  • 1-900 Phone companies – If you’re the type of company that charges people to have a chat on the phone, you’ll be considered high risk.
  • Adult Bookstores – Clearly a part of the adult entertainment industry, and an easy mark for the high risk tag.
  • Adult Entertainment – Any business labeled with the “adult” descriptor will automatically be assigned a high risk status.
  • Adult Toys – As “adult” is in the name, it’s an easy target for association with the adult entertainment market.
  • Airline Industry – Due to cancellations on high ticket purchases, this will put your airline company in the high risk category
  • Amazon Stores – By having a high rate of return, Amazon stores are seen as high risk.
  • Ammo Sales – Association with the weapons industry guarantees high risk status.
  • Annual Contracts – Any time an annual contract is involved it can be considered highrisk because most consumers forget they signed up and chance of chargeback can be high.
  • Antiques – With a high average ticket per item, antiques are considered a risky merchant type.
  • Astrology – The study of the celestial bodies and the influence on human affairs can be a chargeback target if customers feel like they aren’t getting the answers they want.
  • Auctions – Because of the nature of bidding on a product and not having a set price the risk level goes up.
  • Autographed Collectables – There is almost always a question as to whether an autograph is authentic, and therefore chargebacks are much higher in this industry.
  • Automotive Brokers – Brokers of automobiles have a very high average ticket are are therefore of higher risk.
  • Bankruptcy Attorneys – Since the people who are working with bankruptcy attorneys are usually in financial trouble, the odds that a payment would be charged back is higher.
  • Betting Services – In many states betting is illegal but for the legal states betting with a credit card has huge chargeback implications.
  • Brokering – When a third party is involved with selling a product the risk level goes up ten fold.
  • Business Loans (Merchant Cash Advances) – Loaning money is always risky, but with business loans and startup lending, high risk is present by the nature of the business.
  • Casino – Just like a betting service, if a customer gambles with their credit card the chargeback rate sky rockets.
  • CBD Products – CBD itself poses high chargebacks because of the legitimacy of the product and the health benefits promised.
  • CBD E commerce – CBD E Commerce has twice the charge back of retail CBD because many consumers don’t feel like the product they receive gives them the benefits promised.
  • Check Cashing (Check Processing) – The level of fraud in check cashing and cash advances is what gives this industry a higher risk consideration.
  • Cigarettes – With higher levels of risk for theft and criminal activity, cigarette sales are deemed high risk.
  • Collection Agencies (Collection Agency) – Many banks see collections as an unsustainable business model that is many times unreliable.
  • Collectible Coins – A higher level of chargeback in this industry gives it a high risk tag.
  • Collectible Currency – Due to the level of inauthentic collectibles, the risk of chargebacks are much higher with collectibles.
  • Copyrighted eBooks – When someone sells something copyrighted without permission many legal issues can arise.
  • Coupon Programs – With many coupon programs the coupons expire and once they expire the consumer wants the money back they spend.
  • Credit Counseling – Due to their clients usually being in financial problems, this industry is fraught with non-payment and fraud.
  • Credit Protection – Most people that need credit protection are bad with money so chargebacks abound.
  • Credit Repair – If a consumer needs credit repair then chances are they are a high risk for chargebacks.
  • Currency Sales – Many businesses that exchange currency do it at incorrect rates hence more chargebacks.
  • Dating Services – Dating is a volatile industry, and is also lumped in with the adult entertainment industry, making it a high risk account.
  • Debt Collection Services – As the collection of debt isn’t always possible, this industry retains the tag of risky.
  • Debt Consolidation Services (Debt Consolidators) – Consolidating debt is a challenging business and as debt is usually the problem, it’s seen as unsecure from a payment perspective.
  • Debt Repair Services – Since the clients of debt repair services are usually having financial challenges, it makes this industry seem a higher risk.
  • Discount Health Programs – Many people don’t feel they are really getting a discount so they try to get their money back and if they don’t the chargebacks sky rocket.
  • Discount Medical Care Programs – Just like the discount health programs if they don’t save the consumer wants their money back.
  • Drug Paraphernalia – Anything that is associated with the drug trade is considered high risk. Offshore merchant accounts are commonly used for this type of business.
  • E Commerce – As the source of the payment is unverifiable at the point of sale, any transaction without the card present has a higher risk of credit card fraud.
  • Ebay Stores – Many people sell items that aren’t as described so chargebacks can be an issue.
  • Electronic cigarettes – much like traditional cigarettes, e-cigarette sales are also deemed high risk.
  • Electronics – This industry has a much higher ticket compared with many other businesses. A chargeback for a $3,000 tv or two and your account can be in jeopardy rather quickly.
  • Escort Services – This is deemed a part of the adult entertainment industry and therefore needs a high risk merchant account and payment solution.
  • Event Ticket Brokers – If a customer buys a ticket and doesn’t use it they feel like they can charge the transaction back.
  • Extended Warranty Companies – Warranties are rarely used so people try to charge back the money that has been spent paying for them.
  • Federal Firearms License Dealers – Any organization associated with guns or firearms is automatically considered in this category.
  • Fantasy Sports Websites – Just like gambling, if a person starts to lose too often they try and charge back the transaction.
  • Finance Brokers – The entire financing industry is risky. By simply extending credit to other individuals, this business is betting that a majority of them will actually pay what they say they will.
  • Financial Advising/Consulting – The high risk tag on financial advisors isn’t about the advisors or their firm. It’s about the clientele and their current circumstances.
  • Financial Loan Modification Services – Due to a clientele in financial struggles, the high risk term is applied to any payments in this industry.
  • Financial Planning – Anything that includes risk for the consumer can have consumer implications with chargebacks.
  • Financial Strategy – Another risk and reward category, if money is lost, consumers try charging back making this a high risk industry.
  • Fortune Tellers – When a person doesn’t hear what they want to hear, or what is told doesn’t happen, the fortune teller can receive huge chargebacks.
  • Furniture Sellers – High risk only when its custom furniture.
  • Gambling – If money is lost the chargebacks rise.
  • Gaming – Chargeback levels skyrocket when consumers don’t win.
  • Get Rich Quick Programs – It’s rather common in this industry for an individual to purchase the training and then chargeback their purchase saying it didn’t deliver on what was promised.
  • Google Stores – With a high rate of return on their items, Google stores are considered high risk.
  • Gun Sales (Firearm Sales) – The gun and projectile industry is automatically associated with high risk credit card processing.
  • High Average Ticket Sales – With any high average ticket, just a couple of chargebacks can mean a massive shift in how risky the account is deemed by the processor.
  • Home/Vacation Rentals – Many issues with chargebacks can take place if the consumer decides not to travel.
  • Horoscopes – Many people believe this is hocum so will chargeback transactions.
  • How To Programs – A common practice in this industry is to purchase the program and charge it back with the description that it didn’t deliver what it promised.
  • Hypnotists – Many merchants will charge back these transactions if results they hoped for were not met.
  • Import/Export Business – Another example of taking goods over country borders which automatically brings in additional risk to any processing account.
  • Indirect Financial Consulting – When using a third party to consult, the high risk status gives the processor fraud protection.
  • International Cargo – Any time you introduce a multi-country element to credit card processing, the ability for fraud to be introduced skyrockets.
  • International Merchants operating in the US – Since the merchant isn’t operating from the United States, there are many unknowns about what is happening on the other side of their business, thus increasing the risk.
  • International Shipping – Transporting goods between countries is risky and introduces all sorts of elements to the financial stability of any transaction.
  • Investment Books – consumers get upset if the investor isn’t right which can lead to chargebacks.
  • Investment Firms – As investments are never a “sure thing” this is considered a risky industry for having a merchant account.
  • Investment Strategy – Anything with future promises can lead to chargeback.
  • Knife Sales – weapons of any kind are automatically given high risk status.
  • Kratom E Commerce – Accepting payments online is high risk, and Kratom is a substance in the health and wellness industry, which is also considered high risk.
  • Life Coaching – With no tangible goods involved in the transaction, life coaching is considered high risk.
  • Lingerie Businesses – Associated with the adult entertainment industry, chargebacks abound.
  • Lotteries – In most states you can buy lottery tickets with a credit card but if you’re allowed to and the ticket is not a winner, consumers try to chargeback the transactions.
  • Magazine Sales – Many magazine sales are recurring subscriptions, which can have issues with chargebacks.
  • Magazine Subscriptions – Same as magazine sales chargebacks can be huge when a recurring subscription happens. (often referred to as recurring billing.)
  • Mail Order Companies – When something is ordered through the mail chargeback risk can go up.
  • Marijuana Dispensaries – As marijuana isn’t a legal substance in every state, this is considered high risk due to the legality of the product. Cannabis credit card processing is available through Shift Processing.
  • Matchmaking Services – Another branch of the dating tree, and often associated with the adult entertainment industry.
  • Medical Devices – If a medical device doesn’t do what’s promised the purchaser may chargeback the transaction.
  • Membership Organizations – This is another instance of where the transactions don’t have any tangible product and are easily charged back to the merchant account.
  • Merchants on the MATCH list – If you are a merchant who has been reported to the MATCH list (Member Alert to Control High Risk Merchants) or the TMF (Terminated Merchant File) you are given high risk status.
  • Merchants with Poor Credit – Merchant accounts are given based on the credit score of the business owner. It’s assumed that the business owner is going to be making the financial decisions for the business, and a poor credit score reflects on the viability of any business transactions.
  • Modeling Agencies – At many agencies models are promised the world and it doesn’t happen. The consumer then wants their money back.
  • Movie Downloads – Transference of a digital product is considered of higher risk. Also, rarely is a physical card present at time of purchase.
  • Multilevel Marketing Sales – Often associated with pyramid schemes, MLM sales are considered a risky business.
  • Music Downloads – Purchasing any digital product is considered to be of higher risk than a physical transaction. Most of the time the card is not present in a digital transaction using a shopping cart.
  • Not A US Citizen Doing Business In The US – It’s possible to get a merchant account without a US social security number, but not having a SSN will increase the risk the processor will have in issuing a merchant account for your business.
  • Online Adult Membership Sites – If you’re running a website that is adult themed and requires payment for access, this is a highly volatile account and definitely high risk.
  • Offshore Corporations (Offshore Merchants) – The international element is what gives the high risk tag when looking for domestic merchant accounts.
  • Online Gambling (Online Gaming) – Without a card being present and gambling as the activity, there are two reasons why this would be on this list. Online payment alone is risky even without the gambling element.
  • Overseas Exporting Services – The introduction of the international element is what gains access to this list.
  • Pawn Shops – There’s a general stigma that goes along with pawn shops, and it’s reflected in their assignment to the high risk processors list.
  • Penny Auction Sites – Even though the customers are usually bidding at only a penny more per bid, users will commonly charge back the transaction when they don’t win.
  • Pepper Spray – Considered a type of weapon, pepper spray vendors are considered risky.
  • Points Programs – Points programs that cost money can cause chargeback issues if points are not used.
  • Pornographic Merchants – If you’re a part of the adult entertainment industry in any way, you’re considered high risk.
  • Precious Metals – Counterfeit metals can be a problem in this industry, making it more risky to accept payments for.
  • Prepaid Calling Cards – Anything prepaid that a consumer may not use increases chargeback issues.
  • Prepaid Debit Cards – When they expire or are lost consumers want their money back.
  • Psychic Services – “Honey, did you visit a psychic? No babe, I don’t remember visiting a psychic.” I’ll just reverse that charge then.
  • Real Estate – A common target for scams and identity theft is how real estate makes this list.
  • Replica Products (Watches, Handbags, Wallets, Sunglasses, Etc…) – As the product being sold isn’t authentic to the original manufacturer, the percentage of requests for refund is much higher than a traditional merchant.
  • Rewards Programs – If rewards are not spent, the consumer wants the money back.
  • Self-Defense – Since the payment provided is for instruction and not a physical product, the self-defense industry makes this list.
  • Self-Hypnosis Services – Yet another instance where the goods being transferred are of a service and not a physical product.
  • SEO Services – With a high rate of request for refund, SEO agencies make this list.
  • Social Networking Sites – Just like a dating site, if a consumer does not get what they want from it, they always like to chargeback.
  • Software Downloads – The software industry makes their way on to this list because of the digital nature of the goods being sold.
  • Sports Forecasting – An example of paying for information and not for a product, and usually not in person where the card would be present for the transaction.
  • Startups – Every startup is considered risky, and the percentage of startups that make it is quite small compared to the number that fail.
  • Student Loans – With the cost of a college education continually on the rise, so is the percentage of loans that default and never receive payment.
  • Strip Clubs – Associated with the adult entertainment industry gains the strip club access to this list.
  • Stun Gun Sales – considered a type of weapon, which makes it a high risk merchant.
  • Supplement Sales – The request for refund in this industry is quite high due to the nature of the product.
  • Sweepstakes – “Hey, I entered a sweepstake and I didn’t win. I’d like my money back please.”
  • Talent Agencies – “I paid thousands of dollars for headshots and glamorous outfits and I haven’t gotten any paid gigs. Pay me back my money please.”
  • Telemarketing Services – Telemarketing services many times do not have the results the purchaser would like to see, so the services are charged back.
  • Telephone Order Sales – Anything ordered over the phone has a increased risk of chargeback.
  • Timeshare Companies – When timeshares aren’t used, people want their money back.
  • Travel Agencies – If trips are not taken, consumers would like their funds returned.
  • Travel Clubs – Many travel club discounts aren’t what they were promised, increasing risk for chargebacks.
  • Vacation Rental Brokers – Third party brokers on prepaid vacation can have issues when customers cancel their trips.
  • Vape Shops – The level of criminal activity and theft is higher with vape shop merchants and therefore carries a high risk label.
  • Vitamin Sales – If the vitamins don’t provide the results the merchant would like to see they chargeback the transactions.
  • Web Designer – Because this service is prone to chargebacks, it has been classified as high risk.
  • Weight Loss – Considered risky because the results aren’t really up to the company, but rather the individual has to stick to the plan to get results, often resulting in chargebacks.
  • Yahoo Stores – Since the goods sold through Yahoo can easily be returned, they are considered a risky merchant.

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