I seem to be encountering more and more situations lately where the overriding feeling is… underwhelmed. Customer service, in many cases, feels like it has taken a back seat, and when things do go wrong, the way feedback is handled often makes matters worse.

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I’ve had reason to offer constructive feedback on a number of occasions recently.

Not to rant, not to score points, but to highlight genuine issues. What continues to frustrate me is how many organisations now choose to hide behind electronic communication.

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You know the response. “Sorry to receive your feedback…” Followed by a justification. Then the inevitable: “We’ll try harder next time” or “We’ll bear your comments in mind.”

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They might as well tell you to f**k off - at least that would be honest!

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Having spent the vast majority of my career in customer service, I find this genuinely disheartening. Because in my experience, most people don’t give negative feedback for no reason. Yes, there are serial complainers, but they are the exception, not the rule. The vast majority are simply asking to be heard.

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And that’s the point. Feedback, especially negative feedback, is an opportunity.

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Own it. Acknowledge it. Show empathy. And most importantly, resolve it.

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It’s not complicated.

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If someone has taken the time to share their experience, they are giving you a chance to put things right. Done well, that interaction can build more loyalty than if nothing had gone wrong in the first place.

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Which brings me to another point - if you have a contact number, use it!!!!

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PICK UP THE PHONE.

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It is still the most powerful communication tool we have. It allows you to listen properly, ask questions, demonstrate empathy, and crucially, show that there is a human being on the other end who actually cares. It also cuts through the endless back-and-forth of email, where tone is often misread and issues become unnecessarily prolonged.

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And let’s be honest, the average “keyboard warrior” is rarely as combative when you speak to them directly. Conversations humanise situations. They diffuse tension. They get results.

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I was reminded of this recently with the case involving a customer at Travelodge, where a room key was reportedly duplicated and the room accessed while she was inside. Thankfully, no harm was done, but the response, as reported, lacked a direct apology. Instead, there was language around being “sorry for the inconvenience.”

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That’s not ownership. That’s damage limitation.

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When something goes wrong, particularly at that level, people expect accountability. A genuine apology. Reassurance. Action.

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Own it. Apologise. Put it right. Protect your reputation.

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Because the reality is that negative feedback, when handled well, can create your most loyal customers. Handled poorly, it does the exact opposite.

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And in a world where we are increasingly underwhelmed, the bar isn’t actually that high.

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It’s called communication!

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- Antony Penny (AWP Consultancy)