17 Bad Habits to Avoid in Customer Service

Let’s be honest, finding new customers feels great, but keeping them happy? That’s where the real challenge begins. Many businesses don’t realize how a few bad habits in customer service can slowly push loyal customers away.

Think about it, one frustrating call, one ignored message, or one careless response can be enough to make someone switch to your competitor. On the flip side, a thoughtful and smooth experience can turn a first-time buyer into a lifelong fan.

Your customers are the heart of your business. And while handling their needs isn’t always simple, knowing what not to do can make all the difference. So, let’s uncover the most common bad habits in customer service that could be costing you satisfaction, loyalty, and growth.

What Are Bad Habits in Customer Service?

The primary goal of customer service is to ensure customers are satisfied. Certain undesirable habits can emerge that create negative client sentiment. Common examples include:

• Ignoring customers: A significant 82% of customers leave because they feel ignored. It is crucial to pay close attention to each client.
• Being rude: Rudeness pushes customers away. Reports suggest that 58% of people stop buying from a company because of rude behavior.
• Poor listening: When customer service representatives do not listen, customers get frustrated. About 68% of customers leave when they feel they were not heard.
• Delayed responses: Slow responses annoy customers. 75% of customers think waiting more than 5 minutes on hold is too long.
• Lack of knowledge: Not knowing the answers to customer questions is frustrating. Almost 46% of customers get upset when they do not get accurate information.
• Excessive transfers: Repeatedly transferring customers is irritating. 54% of customers are frustrated with getting transferred multiple times.
• Overpromising and under-delivering: Setting unrealistic expectations and failing to meet them leaves customers disappointed. If commitments are disregarded, nearly 80% of customers will not return.
• Not apologizing: Mistakes can occur, but failing to apologize complicates the matter. For 74% of dissatisfied consumers, an apology can turn things around.
• Pushy sales tactics: Being too pushy can scare customers off. 69% of people dislike pushy sales tactics.
• Failure to value customer input: Ignoring input hampers development. 91% of dissatisfied clients will not come back if their feedback is ignored.

Why It Is Important to Avoid Bad Habits in Customer Service

Conversely, poor customer service creates significant business risks. It is crucial for companies to avoid these practices.

Bad customer service calls and their impact

Bad customer service calls can leave a lasting negative impression.

• Lost clients: Customers who receive poor service are inclined to do business elsewhere.
• Damaged reputation: Negative complaints regarding bad customer service have a way of getting around quickly, which can damage the brand of a business.
• Reduced revenue: Lower customer satisfaction can result in lower sales and possible losses.

Nurturing great customer service habits within your company is the key to building a solid and loyal client base:

• Train and empower employees: Providing training and empowering employees to make customer-centric decisions can lead to enhanced customer experiences.
• Personalize the experience: Promoting customer loyalty begins with treating customers like unique individuals and customizing solutions to suit their distinct requirements.

Handling customer calls: Tips for a positive experience

• Smile when you greet people; even if they cannot see it, they can hear it in your voice. A kind welcome sets a good tone for the call.
• Be patient; some clients may be offended or confused. As you assist them, be calm and patient.

17 Bad Habits to Avoid in Customer Service

On this page:

1. Taking too Long to Answer Calls
2. Transferring Calls Too Often
3. Not Listening to Customers
4. Making Promises You Can’t Keep
5. Using Jargon or Technical Terms
6. Being Rude or Dismissive
7. Arguing with Customers
8. Making Excuses
9. Blaming Other Departments
10. Not Following Up
11. Not Resolving Customer Problems
12. Not Apologising When Necessary
13. Not Being Proactive
14. Not Being Empathetic
15. Not Being Genuine
16. Using the Same Sales Pitch
17. Not Providing an Alternative

Any business that wants to succeed must deliver outstanding customer service, but there are several negative practices that must be avoided at all costs. These behaviors may result in dissatisfied customers and damage the company’s reputation. Let us explore each of these 17 bad habits in more detail to learn why you should avoid them:

1. Taking too long to answer calls

Imagine you call a customer service helpline seeking assistance, and you find yourself waiting endlessly on hold, growing increasingly frustrated as time goes by.

Taking too long to answer calls is a major fault in customer service, as it makes customers feel undervalued, impatient, and irritated.

This unfavorable habit is akin to telling customers that their time does not matter, resulting in a poor customer service phone call experience.

2. Transferring calls too often

Consider this scenario – you call customer service, hoping to find a quick resolution to your problem.

But, in reality, you are transferred from one representative to another, and then another, repeating your issue each time. This can be a confusing and upsetting experience for customers.

Frequent call transfers make customers feel trapped in a maze of inefficiency, which results in poor customer service. This negatively impacts KPIs like First Call Resolution (FCR) and can be improved with tools like intelligent call routing.

3. Not listening to customers

Active listening is an integral aspect of effective customer service. Customers get annoyed and dissatisfied when they feel like their demands and concerns are being unheard.

They might be sharing their problems or seeking answers to questions, but not listening attentively can make them feel irrelevant and lead to bad customer service phone calls.

Suggestion: Add a sample script. Example: "Instead of interrupting, try: 'Thank you for explaining that. Just to confirm, I understand correctly, the issue is [rephrase customer's problem]. Is that right?"

4. Making promises you can’t keep

Honesty and transparency are the pillars of exceptional customer service. Making commitments to customers that cannot be fulfilled is a grave mistake that can shatter trust and credibility.

When you fail to deliver on your promises, customers are left with a sense of betrayal and dissatisfaction, causing bad customer service calls that can be damaging to your company’s reputation.

5. Using jargon or technical terms that customers don’t understand

Effective communication is the cornerstone of customer service. It can be confusing and alienating to use complicated jargon and technical phrases that clients are unfamiliar with.

This can make customers feel like they are being talked down to or left out of the conversation, resulting in bad customer service calls.

6. Being rude or dismissive

Treating customers with disrespect or dismissiveness is a serious violation of customer service. It undermines the very foundation of a positive customer-agent relationship.

Customers who experience rudeness or dismissive behavior are more likely to complain about their unpleasant phone calls to customer service.

This can discourage other people from doing business with the company in the future.

7. Arguing with customers

Arguments have no place in customer service interactions. When customers reach out for assistance, they seek solutions, not conflicts.

Engaging in arguments can intensify their frustration and dissatisfaction, leading to bad customer service calls and leaving customers even more dissatisfied.

8. Making excuses

Customers turn to customer service for help and resolution, not to hear excuses for problems.

Making excuses instead of providing solutions can leave customers feeling unheard. Avoiding this awful habit is crucial to preventing bad customer service call recordings and fostering customer satisfaction.

9. Blaming other departments or people

Shifting blame onto others is a poor practice in customer service. It not only fails to resolve the issue at hand but also creates a negative atmosphere.

Customers do not want blame games that can lead to bad customer service on the phone; they want accountability and speedy resolution.

10. Not following up

It is crucial to swiftly follow up when customers express concerns or problems. Failing to do so can make customers feel neglected and unvalued.

Following up shows that their concerns are taken seriously, and it is an essential step in resolving customer problems and ensuring positive customer call handling.

11. Not resolving customer problems

One of the damaging bad habits is failing to address and resolve customer problems. Ignoring customer issues can lead to customer dissatisfaction and even result in losing their business.

Providing timely and effective solutions is fundamental to customer service excellence and avoiding bad customer service calls.

12. Not apologizing when necessary

Mistakes happen, and when they do, a sincere apology can work wonders in customer service.

Not apologizing when necessary can leave customers feeling ignored and unappreciated.

An authentic apology can turn a bad customer service call into a more positive and understanding interaction.

13. Not being proactive

Proactive customer service is about anticipating customer needs and taking the initiative to offer assistance before they even ask for it.

Not being proactive can make customers feel like they are not a priority, leading to bad customer service call recordings and hindering customer satisfaction.

14. Not being empathetic

Empathy is a powerful tool in customer service, allowing service representatives to connect with customers on an emotional level.

Not showing empathy can make customers feel like their concerns are being disregarded, leading to bad customer service phone calls.

15. Not being genuine

Customers can immediately sense insincerity. Customers may regard your service as dishonest if you do not act sincerely in your interactions.

This might damage their trust and credibility. Building long-lasting relationships and preventing poor customer service calls requires a real approach to customer service.

16. Using the same sales pitch for each customer

The "one size fits all" approach does not work when you are dealing with customer calls because not all have the same requirements. So, you need to adjust your sales pitch according to what your customers actually need.

17. Not providing your customers with an alternative

At times, your customers may have unique requirements that your company may not provide in full.

In such situations, rather than bluntly telling them “Unfortunately, no, that’s just not possible”, try to tell them that you have an alternative or a similar solution that could equally fulfill their requirements.

If you want to elevate your business sales, you must work towards providing your customers with a call experience that makes them want to come back to you for more.

This can only be achieved if you understand their pain points, offer them a solution that best fulfills their requirement, track all customer calls, view daily analytic call reports, and measure the performance of your agents' calls by listening to their call recordings.

But doing all this manually is very cumbersome and tedious. That’s where call center software comes into play.

MyOperator cloud call center solution is the ideal solution for your problem.

It will automate the process of managing, tracking, transferring, and forwarding your business calls. This will allow you to resolve customer queries instantly and deliver a superior customer call experience.

How to Avoid Bad Habits in Customer Service

To elevate your customer service, you must systematically identify and correct bad habits. This process requires awareness, training, and a supportive culture.

Step 1: Be aware of your own bad habits

Reflect on your interactions with customers and identify areas that need improvement. Ask for feedback from colleagues and customers to gain valuable insights.

Step 2: Train your staff on how to avoid bad habits

Make sure your staff is well-trained to provide excellent customer service. Conduct regular training sessions to address common bad habits and teach them proper communication and problem-solving skills. 

Step 3: Create a culture of customer service excellence

Encourage a positive work culture that prioritizes customer service excellence. Recognize and reward employees who consistently deliver outstanding service, inspiring others to do the same.

Step 4: Set clear expectations for customer service

Define clear guidelines and expectations for customer service standards. Ensure that your team understands the importance of adhering to these standards in every customer interaction.

Step 5: Monitor customer feedback

Monitor and analyze customer feedback regularly. Pay attention to both positive and negative reviews, as they can provide valuable insights into your team’s performance and potential bad habits.

Step 6: Take action to correct bad habits

When bad habits are identified, take immediate action to correct them. Provide constructive feedback to employees and support them in making improvements.

What Kind of Attitude Toward Your Customer Would Be the Worst?

Being impolite to customers is the worst behavior in customer service.

Customers expect polite and attentive service, so being disrespectful or unhelpful could upset them and give them a bad impression of the business you run.

Examples of bad customer service phone calls

• Ignoring the customer’s concerns and not offering any solutions.
• Ignoring the demands of the customer or speaking over them.
• Using offensive language or being unprofessional during the call.

Tips for handling customer calls

• Warmly welcome the client and introduce yourself.
• Show respect for their worries and pay close attention to them.
• Even if the customer is angry or frustrated, be patient.
• Answer their inquiries in a manner that is both clear and concise.
• Offer relevant solutions, then check in to make sure they are satisfied.

How to Improve Your Customer Service

Be proactive

Do not wait for customers to come to you with issues. Be proactive in anticipating their needs and concerns. Reach out to them regularly to check on their satisfaction and offer assistance if required.

Be empathetic

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and try to understand their feelings and concerns. Show empathy and listen carefully to their feedback or complaints without interrupting.

Be genuine

Customers value authenticity. Be sincere in your interactions and avoid using scripted responses. Using tools like the MyOperator WhatsApp Business Suite is an effective way to personalize communication and make customers feel valued.

Follow up

After resolving a customer’s issue, get in touch with them again to see if they are happy with the answer you offered. This indicates your dedication to their happiness and strengthens your commitment to providing superior customer service.

Resolve customer issues

Respond to customer issues quickly and effectively. Instead of assigning blame, concentrate on finding solutions. If you are unable to fix a problem right away, reassure the client that you are working on it and let them know how things are going.

Remember, improving your customer service is about building strong relationships and creating positive experiences. At MyOperator, we understand this concept deeply. As an experienced IVR service provider, we offer solutions that go beyond automation. Our IVR numbers are designed to enhance the overall customer experience by providing quick and efficient call routing software.

The Importance of Good Customer Service

Good customer service is more than a support function; it is a core driver of business growth. It directly impacts customer retention, brand reputation, and revenue.

• Customer retention: Effective customer service helps in retaining loyal customers.
• Positive recommendation: Customers who are pleased are more inclined to recommend a business to others.
• Customer loyalty: Providing excellent customer service can promote repeat business, boost revenue, and cut down on marketing expenses. Research indicates that repeat or loyal customers can be worth up to 10 times more than their first purchase.
•  A Harvard Business Review tells, acquiring a new customer can cost 5 to 25 times more than retaining an existing one.
• Business expansion: According to Bain & Company, 5% increase in client retention can enhance earnings by 25% to 95%.
  Competitive advantage: Recent data from Giva shows that 86% of buyers say they would pay more for a great customer experience.
• Customer feedback: Good customer service provides opportunities for feedback, which is invaluable for identifying areas of improvement and innovating products or services.
• Customer acquisition: Happy customers can become brand advocates.
• Online reviews: Online reviews have a big influence on buying choices.
• Reputation management: One bad customer experience reaches twice as many ears as a positive one. Good customer service helps manage and improve your business’s reputation.
• Customer satisfaction: Ultimately, good customer service leads to increased customer satisfaction. By offering a toll-free number, you make it easier for customers to reach out to your business without incurring any call charges.

At the end of the day, great customer service isn’t just about answering calls — it’s about building trust, loyalty, and lasting relationships. Every small interaction shapes how your customers feel about your brand.

So, ditch those bad habits in customer service and turn every conversation into an opportunity to impress. Because when your customers feel heard and valued, they’ll keep coming back — and bring others with them.

Ready to elevate your customer experience? Start by empowering your support team with the right tools and mindset, and watch your business grow through genuine connections.