7 Things Businesses Do That Their Customers Hate

If you want to run a successful business, then one thing that you really want to avoid as much as possible is irking your customers, Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of things that a whole lot of companies do, that really do annoy their customers. We’re going to look at some of the more common ones below, so that you can hopefully avoid falling into the same traps!

1. Websites Designed Like Mazes

Websites. Ever visited a site and felt like you were navigating a labyrinth designed by a villain in a superhero movie instead of the pros at https://theorypixel.com/kauai-hawaii-website-design/? You click for customer service and end up on a page selling unicorn slippers. It’s a wild goose chase to find anything. And don’t get me started on mobile-unfriendly sites. It’s 2023, folks; if your website isn’t mobile-optimized, you’re basically telling customers, “We don’t want to make your life easy.”

2. The Eternal Hold Music Symphony

Ah, hold music, the business soundtrack of our nightmares. There’s nothing quite like being serenaded by a never-ending loop of elevator music, punctuated by a robotic voice saying, “Your call is important to us.” If it's so important, why do I have enough time on hold to write a novel, learn a new language, and cook a five-course meal?

3. Email Spam-a-Lot

Picture this: you buy one thing from a website, and suddenly, your inbox becomes their new home. Daily emails, sometimes twice a day, like they’re your new overly attached friend. “Miss us yet?” No, I bought socks from you yesterday; give it a rest.

4. The Upsell Ambush

You’re just about to complete your purchase, and BAM! You’re hit with an upsell that’s about as subtle as a marching band in a library. “Customers who bought this item also bought a yacht, a private jet, and a small island.” It’s like going in for a handshake and getting a bear hug.

5. The Price Hike Surprise

Ever see a price online, get to the checkout, and suddenly there are more hidden fees than a treasure map? It’s like playing financial Whack-a-Mole. Handling fees, shipping fees, ‘just because we can’ fees. It's the price equivalent of a plot twist in a soap opera.

6. The Robotic Customer Service Saga

Ever asked a simple question and received a response that’s clearly been copied and pasted from the Big Book of Generic Answers written by Mr Average and Mrs Dull themselves? It's like talking to a robot with a limited vocabulary. “I understand your frustration.” Do you, though? Do you really?

7. Return Policies That Require a Law Degree

Navigating some return policies is like deciphering an ancient scroll in a dead language that only three people ever even spoke in in the first place. You need a magnifying glass, a law degree, and possibly a magic wand to make sense of it. And if you miss that 30-second return window, forget it; you now own that neon-green sweater for life.

Don’t annoy your customers, delight them!