Database of Customer Problems (230 Entries)

Customer problems are issues and shortfalls of products, services and customer experiences. Firms are expected or required to help solve these problems.

All (230)

Products (56)

Services (25)

Customer Support (27)

Customer Experience (19)

Order Issues (16)

Usability (36)

Pricing & Billing (36)

Other (20)

Account lockouts	Automatic renewals
Billing disputes unresolved	Billing for services not rendered
Charges for failed transactions	Charges from canceled services
Chemical safety concerns	Color mismatch
Complex contract terms	Complicated account creation processes
Complicated checkout processes	Confusing billing cycles
Confusing menu structures	Confusing navigation
Confusing promotional offers	Connectivity issues
Consumer protection violations	Credit not reflected on invoice
Cryptic billing codes and descriptions	Cryptic icons in user interface
Currency conversion errors	Customers ignored in store
Data loss	Deceptive pricing tactics
Defective products	Delayed billing notifications
Delayed response times	Delays in processing claims
Delivery delays	Design flaws
Difficult assembly	Difficult maintenance
Difficult returns process	Difficult to assemble
Difficult to cancel subscriptions	Difficult to clean
Difficult to use	Difficulties in managing accounts
Difficulty accessing subscription benefits	Difficulty canceling memberships
Difficulty in accessing account information	Difficulty in making reservations
Discounts not applied	Duplicate charges
Environmental impact issues	Errors in account balances
Excessive charges	Excessive noise
Excessive pop-ups	Excessive price increases
Excessive weight	Existing customers treated as new customers
Expired products	Failed checkout with unclear result
Failure to address safety concerns	Failure to honor warranties
Failure to meet service level agreements (SLAs)	Failure to notify customers of billing changes
Failure to provide promised services	False advertising claims
Feedback ignored	Firms that experiment with customers
Frequent product recalls	Frequent technical issues
Frequent updates causing disruptions	Functionality problems
Handed off to different departments many times	Having to explain the same problem over and over
Heavy onboarding processes	Hidden fees
Hidden or hard-to-find features or options	Hostile or unfriendly staff
Inability to customize	Inability to resolve issues
Inability to track service requests	Inaccessible customer support channels
Inadequate energy efficiency	Inadequate handling of special requests
Inadequate staff knowledge	Incompatible parts
Inconsistent color variations	Inconsistent information provided by staff
Inconsistent navigation elements	Inconsistent performance
Inconsistent pricing	Inconsistent product availability
Inconsistent service across locations	Inconvenient locations
Incorrect billing	Incorrect orders
Incorrect specifications	Ingredient health concerns
Installation problems	Insufficient customization options
Insufficient staffing	Interface is too dynamic and unstable
Invaisive questions or data requirements	Issues with loyalty programs
Issues with mobile app functionality	Issues with promotional codes
Issues with prorated charges	Issues with third-party service providers
Labeling errors	Lack of a clear navigation hierarchy
Lack of a search function	Lack of apology or acknowledgment for service failures
Lack of billing history	Lack of clear error messages
Lack of compatibility	Lack of fair competition
Lack of features advertised	Lack of follow-up by support
Lack of multilingual support	Lack of product manuals or guides
Lack of respect for customers	Lack of service excellence
Lack of staff training	Lack of support documentation
Lack of timely updates	Lack of transparency regarding fees
Lack of validation for input fields	Lack of variety
Limited availability of parts	Limited language options
Limited payment options	Limited product lifespan
Limited service hours	Limited warranty coverage
Long hold times	Lost packages
Low capacity	Material quality issues
Miscommunication with support	Misleading product information
Mismanagement of customer data	Mismanagement of service appointments
Missing components	Missing invoices
No guidance on how to fix errors	No order confirmation
No recovery options for errors	No way to submit customer feedback
Non-compliance with regulations	Non-intuitive controls
Non-intuitive design	Non-standard input fields
Not keeping promises	Odor issues
Order cancellation difficulties	Overcharging
Overcrowded locations	Overheating
Overly aggressive sales tactics	Overly complex language or jargon
Packaging problems	Performance issues
Planned obsolescence	Poor aesthetics
Poor after-sales support	Poor durability
Poor ergonomics	Poor handling of sensitive information
Poor handling of session timeouts	Poor search functionality
Poor service experience	Poor user experience
Poor value for money	Poor workmanship
Poorly designed controls	Poorly designed notifications
Poorly labeled items	Poorly managed lines in stores
Price gouging during emergencies	Privacy concerns
Problems with gift card redemption	Problems with refunds or exchanges
Product fails in specific conditions	Quality control failures
Refunds not issued	Safety hazards
Scripted support responses	Security concerns
Service not as described	Service outages
Service performance issues	Shipping damage
Short battery life	Sizing problems
Slow loading times	Slow processing times
Social impact issues	Software bugs
Style issues	Subscription pricing changes
Takes too long to use	Taste issues
Temperature sensitivity	Unable to reach a person
Unauthorized charges	Unclean environments
Unclear billing statements	Unclear escalation processes
Unclear instructions	Unclear order status
Unclear pricing	Unclear product lifecycle
Unclear return policy	Unclear terms and conditions
Unclear terms of service	Unethical practices
Unfair policies	Unfair pricing practices
Unfair return shipping costs or policies.	Unhelpful customer service representatives
Unhelpful staff	Unilateral contract changes
Unpleasant shopping environment	Unprofessional behavior by staff
Unresolved inquiries	Unresponsive features
Unresponsive screens	Unresponsive support
Unstable performance	Useless automated support functions
User interface is disorienting	Vendor lock-in
Verbose information	Vibration issues
Water resistance failures	Weak product structure

When You Have Problems

It is important as a customer to stand up for your rights and to ask that problems be resolved. Remember that frontline staff are just working a job and probably didn't directly cause your problem and may not be completely empowered to solve it. This being said, you can expect these staff to try to be polite and helpful.

You don't want to sacrifice your calm and composure over a bad customer experience. Try to be nice and to maintain perspective -- it's not worth losing it over some bad service.

If the issue isn't resolved, consider canceling your service and moving on. You can also try escalating the issue and if it is a serious issue, see if there is a government agency that can help. Vote with your dollars and try to avoid repurchasing products where they have given you problems. Consider writing a review and sharing your experiences with others.

Monopolies

One of the problems with monopolies is that customers can't really cancel and move on when they have problems due to a lack of alternatives. If you live in a capitalist country, your government is supposed to be preventing monopolies from forming in order to ensure open competition and consumer choice.

Problems as Opportunities

Firms that do not have a monopoly position, should fade over time if they have far more customer problems than the competition as this is a common type of competitive disadvantage.

Looking at the dissatisfaction of your own customers and those of your competition is a good way to look for market opportunities and competitive advantages. For example, streaming services that have largely overtaken cable TV subscriptions initially solved a large number of customer dissatisfaction issues. Where cable was filled with commercials, streaming services initially had none. Where cable was priced with incomprehensible bundles, streaming was initially a single simple subscription. Where cable required contracts and cancellation fees, streaming was easy to cancel.

When you start solving customer problems that your competition have ignored you are likely to quickly gain market share.

Consumer Protection

The firm has all the power in the customer relationship such that the government needs to protect the consumer from poor practices. For example, a bank that offers a contract filled with legal terms the customer doesn't necessarily understand. The bank then changes this contract and the fees associated with the account on a unilateral basis whenever it suits them as long as they provide notice. Imagine if the customer could do the same.

This is not an equal situation and consumers fundamentally require protection. This is also critical to the free market as competition would breakdown without protections such as being able to cancel your services.

Summary

Customer problems are the common situation where a customer is dissatisfied with a product, service or customer experience. This ranges from minor issues of falling short of customer expectations up to serious commercial issues such as overbilling.