You can’t please all of the people, all of the time. That’s why customer complaints are inevitable in business – one person could praise you for things that another person tears apart. While it doesn’t pay to ignore these kinds of comments (your response to negative feedback makes all the difference), you do largely need to leave them as water for your business duck’s back. But repeated negative comments are always worth listening to, and they often point to operational issues that you should definitely address.

From shipping setbacks to service difficulties, these long-standing problems may crop up time and again. If they’re the first things customers see when they research you, they could cost you a great deal if you don’t address them fast.

But which customer complaints point to the most urgent operational issues requiring your attention? Keep reading to find out.

# 1 - Inefficient Customer Support

If you do a deep dive into any brand’s negative reviews, you’ll probably see some mention of customer support. This is the service your customers will receive if they have an issue. But, we know what you’re thinking – if they’re contacting you with an issue, aren’t they already making a complaint? The answer is both yes and no. Customers don’t often contact your service department unless something’s gone wrong, but at this point, they’re probably looking for a contained solution, rather than an active place to moan. And, they’ll often only place a negative review if your support is so poor that the situation escalates.

Inefficient customer support workflows can, therefore, prove fatal, and they may include slow responses or long wait times, dropped calls, and the need to repeat issues to multiple agents. All of which will turn a solution-seeking customer into an angry complainee.

Chatbots are a common option for ironing out this problem, but be sure that you’re using them in the right way. Rather than entirely replacing customer support teams, well-trained chatbots should serve as a first contact point that then directs customers to the right team at all times, and reduces wait times as a result. Other solutions might include improved training, tiered support levels, and regular post-support surveys to keep things on track.

# 2 - Costly Surprises

Unexpected costs are the leading cause of shopping cart abandonment, and they can end up being a costly business mistake if you ignore reviews that point to this problem. After all, customers only need to see the words ‘hidden costs’ in a piece of negative feedback to start looking elsewhere. And it’s well within your power to ensure that doesn’t happen!

The main cost issues that are likely to lead to complaints include unexpected transaction fees, processing charges, and service fees added at checkout. In some instances, even limited high shipping costs can see customers clicking off your cart. These additional fees become even more damaging the later in the completion process they appear, with last-minute cost additions inevitably resulting in negative reviews, as well as a lack of sales.

Luckily, you don’t need a magic wand to fix this; you simply need to prioritize cost transparency at every stage in the buyer journey. If you can, offering free shipping is a great step towards this, as it ensures that customers only pay the price they see right there on the product page.

Even if free shipping is a financial step too far for your business right now, precautions such as absorbing transaction fees or including processing fees in product prices themselves can all help. At the very least, you should clearly list any additional fees directly underneath product prices to avoid accusations of false advertising, and the fallout that can inevitably arise as a result.

# 3 - Stocking Issues

You’ll also inevitably receive complaints if you’re regularly out of stock on certain items, especially during seasonally relevant periods when loyal customers may be waiting in the wings for those products that never materialize. This will see your most dedicated audience going without, which is sure to lead to annoyance and, inevitably, reviews that are all the more scathing for coming from people who once loved you.

Unfortunately, stocking issues are surprisingly common if you don’t take clear steps to address warehousing issues and consider why low stock keeps arising after a few reviews of this nature. The most common stock-based problems inevitably stem from inventory management and ordering processes, which should be regularly reviewed to ensure sufficient stock levels that also account for demand fluctuations.

If that sounds like a lot of effort, that’s because it is. Admittedly, automation can slice those workloads in half, but true stock automation comes at a steep cost. Working with a fulfillment center to tackle inventory levels on your behalf can be a far more affordable option, and will include real-time inventory updates and tracking to always keep things in stock and on track.

# 4 - Slow Delivery

Nowadays, even customers who shop online expect the convenience of fast delivery. If you don’t deliver, they’re likely to complain. This is especially true if your orders take more than the standard 3-5 working days to arrive, but even that is pushing it a little for customers who are now more liable to seek next-day, or even same-day, deliveries. These days, reviews complaining of long delivery wait times could even lose you all-important sales, especially if your closest competitors are offering faster options.

Finding ways to offer next-day delivery in some form is, therefore, essential. Note that this doesn’t even need to be your delivery default to have a positive impact. Even offering more expensive next-day options alongside your standard delivery selection will work in your favor. Alternatively, you might want to secure more affordable, guaranteed next-day delivery through a contract with a dedicated courier, or the use of fulfillment services that provide this benefit as standard.

If customers are complaining about these four things, then it’s a sure sign you need to return to the drawing board when it comes to these key operational focuses.