Big Brands That Lost Customers' Satisfaction in 2023 [Where CX Went Wrong + Data]

In an era where customer expectations are higher than ever before, the role of customer experience (UX) in customer retention cannot be understated.

From the initial interaction to the final purchase in the customer journey, a satisfying CX ensures that customers have a frictionless and enjoyable experience with your brand.

In this post, we’ll discover exceptional CX secrets and strategies by dissecting customer service mishaps of big businesses, plus extract key solutions for customer success that are guaranteed to deliver outstanding results for your brand.

Table of Contents

• Understanding Customer Experience (CX)
• Case Study #1: Comcast
• Case Study #2: Dollar Tree
• Case Study #3: Balenciaga
• Keeping Customers Through CX

Understanding Customer Experience (CX)

As a quick refresher, CX refers to the overall experience a customer has when interacting with a company, its products, or its services.

It plays a critical role in shaping customer satisfaction, as a positive customer experience results in customer delight, while a negative experience leads to frustration, customer churn, and potential customer loss.

Customers have a plethora of options to choose from, making it essential for big businesses to stand out and establish their unique value propositions.

Providing remarkable CX at every step of the customer’s journey is the most effective approach to standing out and fostering long-term loyalty.

By going beyond functional products or services and focusing on, companies can:

• Understand customer wants and needs
• Analyze current pain points, anticipate future needs
• Create delightful interactions

Investing in user experience is not just about keeping customers satisfied, but also about driving business growth and maintaining a competitive advantage.

Case Study #1: Comcast

As reported by the 2023 Axios Harris Poll 100, Comcast is rated no. 87 out of 100 on the list of most visible (and reputable) businesses in America.

From Meta to Capital One Financial Corporation, the Axios Harris Poll assesses and ranks companies based on 16,310 American customers’ experiences with a business, its practices, products and services.

Comcast’s low rank on the Axios Harris poll aligns with data from The American Customer Satisfaction Index. Recently, ASCI reported that:

• In 2022, Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile ranked 76th out of 100
• This year, it ranked 74th, which represents a 3% decrease in American customers’ satisfaction

In 2018, Vice also revealed that on that year’s ASCI, Comcast dropped 3%, to an ASCI score of 62. And just eight months ago, it removed Xfinity customers’ access to Peacock, the company’s streaming service.

Evidently, the company’s long history of customer dissatisfaction echoes. But what can customer experience professionals learn from this? Here’s a couple of “small change, big difference” CX takeaways that you can implement in your customer retention strategy:

Pro Tip #1: Developing Customer-Centric Culture

Foster a customer-centric mindset within your company. To effectively empower customer service pros to go above and beyond to resolve customer issues, provide them ongoing training on effective customer service techniques. Make customer-centricity a core value that guides decision-making across departments.

Pro Tip #2: Proactive Issue Resolution

Anticipate customer needs and proactively address potential issues before they arise. Implement proactive monitoring systems to identify any service disruptions or inconveniences and reach out to customers to offer a solution or preventive measures.

Case Study #2: Dollar Tree

On the 2023 Axios Harris Poll 100, Dollar Tree is rated 89 out of 100 of the most reputable businesses in America.

On the ASCI survey side, it ranks 18 on a list of 20 general merchandise retailers. In 2022, ASCI assigned Dollar Tree a score of 72. In 2023, this ranking dropped by 4%, to a 71.

Additionally, this past June, Dollar Tree has increased its “dollar deals” following inflation, shocking customers nationwide.

The FDA also recalled several categories of Dollar Tree products in various states due to potential contamination.

Every company has to have its series of learning moments but here are a few CX pro tips to keep in mind while assessing how to avoid similar mistakes:

Pro Tip #1: Product Quality and Safety

Collaborate closely with product teams to ensure rigorous quality control measures are in place. Communicate any safety concerns or recalls promptly and transparently to customers, prioritizing their well-being.

Pro Tip #2: Pricing Strategy Alignment

Collaborate with pricing teams to align pricing strategies with customer expectations and market realities. Price adjustments should be communicated clearly, with value-oriented messaging that justifies any changes.

Pro Tip #3: Co-creation Opportunities

Explore opportunities for co-creation with customers, such as allowing them to contribute ideas for new product lines or store layout improvements. By involving customers in the creative process, CX pros gain valuable insights but also establish a stronger emotional connection and loyalty with their customer base.

Case Study #3: Balenciaga

Lastly, Balenciaga is rated #91 out of 100 of the most reputable businesses in America on the Axois Harris Poll.

Just last year, Balenciaga was scrutinized for a plethora of company controversies, including its product price points and representation of brand identity/values.

What CX insights can be gleaned from Balenciaga’s reputation? Check out our takeaways:

Pro Tip #1: Provide Product Education

To address the scrutiny over product price points, suggest providing detailed product information to explicitly highlight any features that could justify prices. This can be done through informative blog posts or dedicated product pages on your company’s website.

Pro Tip #2: Align Brand Values with Customer Expectations

From the very beginning, companies should invest in campaigns and initiatives that clearly communicate the brand's values and ensure they align with customer expectations. This can help build a stronger emotional connection and trust with customers.

Keeping Customers Through CX

Customer experience plays a crucial role in customer retention, and there are an assortment of significant factors that contribute to businesses losing customers, such as:

• Company ethics
• Product quality/performance
• Pricing
• Market trends

By recognizing that customer service is just one piece of the puzzle, businesses can ensure they address potential customer loss factors.

Through embracing customer-centricity and collaboration, along with product and sales strategy, CX professionals can develop an effortlessly holistic approach to customer attrition, building a solid foundation for sustainable growth.