Introduction

Customer support can often feel like a never-ending cycle of frustration. Whether it's waiting on hold for 45 minutes only to get transferred to another department or engaging in an infuriating back-and-forth with a chatbot that doesn’t understand a single word you’re typing, most of us have had that feeling: Why is customer support so broken?

And truthfully, your instinct is right. Customer support, for many companies, really is broken. But why? And, more importantly, can we fix it?

Table of Contents

• Why customer support feels broken

• The real cost of bad customer support

• Where companies go wrong

• How to fix customer support: practical solutions

• Conclusion: Putting the customer back in customer support

Why customer support feels broken

We've all been there. You reach out for help, and instead of getting a quick solution, you're dragged through a maze of confusing options, unhelpful agents, and automated responses. But what exactly is it that makes customer support feel so, well, broken?

Here are some of the common culprits:

• Long wait times: If you’ve ever been put on hold for what feels like eternity, you know this pain. Customers expect quick answers, and long waits are the fastest way to lose their trust.

• Unhelpful agents: There’s nothing worse than finally getting connected to a human only to find that they’re just as confused as you are. Poor training and lack of empowerment often leave support reps scrambling for answers.

• Scripted responses: There’s something robotic about hearing the same canned phrases over and over again. “We apologize for the inconvenience” only goes so far when you're on your third transfer to a different department.

• Passing the buck: Speaking of transfers, ever feel like you’ve been passed from one agent to the next without anyone taking ownership of your issue? That’s because, in many cases, no one wants to take ownership.

• Complicated self-service options: Companies have moved towards self-service with FAQs, automated chatbots, and knowledge bases. But when these tools are unclear or outdated, they end up creating more problems than they solve.

It's no wonder customers are feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and downright annoyed. But the real question is: why are companies letting this happen?

The real cost of bad customer support

Bad customer support doesn’t just make customers angry—it can seriously hurt a company’s bottom line. According to a recent study, 96% of customers say customer service is important in their choice of loyalty to a brand. So, if your support is broken, your customers are likely heading to your competitors.

Here's what bad customer support really costs:

• Lost customers: The fastest way to lose a customer is to frustrate them when they need help. A single bad experience can lead to churn.

• Negative reviews: Bad experiences spread like wildfire. A dissatisfied customer is more likely to leave a negative review, share their frustration on social media, or worse—convince others to avoid your company.

• Employee burnout: Poor systems don’t just frustrate customers—they also burn out your support team. Reps stuck with angry customers and inefficient processes are more likely to disengage, underperform, or quit.

• Increased support costs: Ironically, bad customer service can end up costing more. Multiple escalations, re-opened cases, and customer churn all add up.

Simply put, broken customer support is bad for everyone—customers, support teams, and the company itself.

Where companies go wrong

So, why is customer support broken in the first place? There are several reasons:

• Over-reliance on automation: While automation can be a great tool for handling simple tasks, many companies take it too far. They put bots in charge of everything, forgetting that complex issues require a human touch.

• Undertrained support staff: Companies often fail to invest in proper training, leaving support reps unequipped to handle customer issues efficiently. If the agents themselves are confused, what hope do the customers have?

• Siloed departments: Many companies structure their support teams in a way that creates fragmentation. Instead of a seamless experience, customers are passed from one department to another, repeating their issues and growing more frustrated each time.

• Focusing on metrics over experience: Too often, companies focus on reducing ticket times or increasing first-call resolution, while ignoring the customer experience. If speed comes at the cost of quality, customers will feel rushed and unsupported.

• Ignoring feedback: Customers give feedback constantly—through complaints, reviews, and surveys. The problem? Many companies don’t listen. Ignoring this feedback leads to recurring problems and a deteriorating customer experience.

How to fix customer support: practical solutions

So, how do we fix customer support then? The answer isn’t simple, but it is doable. Here are some practical steps companies can take to rebuild trust and deliver the kind of support that customers rave about.

1. Invest in better training

Support reps need more than just a script—they need the tools and training to truly understand and solve problems. Companies should provide ongoing training that not only teaches product knowledge but also focuses on soft skills like empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution (A shameless plug—our company Solidroad accommodates this for teams, get in touch with us through our home page to find out more).

Pro tip: Empower your reps to make decisions. When they’re given the authority to fix issues without waiting for approval, they can resolve problems faster and more effectively.

2. Improve self-service options

Customers love self-service—when it works. Invest in updating your knowledge base, FAQs, and chatbots to ensure they’re accurate, easy to navigate, and actually helpful. When done right, self-service reduces wait times and gives customers quick answers.

Pro tip: Use customer feedback to regularly update your self-service options. If a particular question keeps coming up, make sure the answer is easy to find.

3. Create a seamless omnichannel experience

Your customers shouldn’t feel like they’re starting from scratch every time they switch from email to phone or chat. An omnichannel approach means your team can pick up right where the last interaction left off, making the process smoother for the customer.

Pro tip: Implement a unified support system that gives agents access to a customer’s entire support history, no matter which channel they used.

4. Focus on quality over speed

While fast responses are important, quality should come first. Rushing through tickets to hit metrics might look good on paper, but it leads to sloppy, unsatisfactory answers. Instead of focusing solely on closing tickets, prioritize giving thorough, helpful responses.

Pro tip: Create KPIs around customer satisfaction, not just response times. Reward reps who go above and beyond to make customers happy, even if it takes a little longer.

5. Personalize the experience

No one likes to feel like just another number. Personalization can go a long way in making customers feel valued. Train your reps to use the customer’s name, reference past interactions, and tailor their responses based on individual needs.

Pro tip: Equip your team with CRM tooling (and knowledge of how to use it) that shows a full view of the customer—purchase history, preferences, and previous support issues—so they can offer truly personalized assistance.

6. Listen to your customers (and your team)

Your customers are constantly telling you how to improve—through surveys, feedback, and even complaints. Listen to them! The same goes for your support team. They know where the bottlenecks are and can offer insights into what’s working and what’s not.

Pro tip: Hold regular feedback sessions with your support team and actually act on what you hear. This creates a culture of continuous improvement.

Conclusion: Putting the customer back in customer support

Customer support doesn’t have to feel broken, but fixing it requires a shift in focus. Instead of seeing support as a cost center, companies need to view it as a vital part of the customer experience. Investing in your support team, improving your systems, and prioritizing the customer’s journey over metrics can lead to happier customers—and a healthier business.

At the end of the day, customers don’t just want their problems solved—they want to feel heard, valued, and respected. That’s the heart of great customer support. Time to fix what’s broken and put the customer back where they belong: at the center of it all. As they say, the customer is always right!

FAQ

Q: What’s the fastest way to improve customer support?

A: One of the quickest ways to improve support is to empower your reps with better training and tools. Giving them the authority to resolve issues without escalation makes the process faster for customers and less frustrating for the team.

Q: How can I reduce customer frustration with wait times?

A: Consider using chatbots for simple inquiries to free up human agents for more complex issues. You can also offer call-back options during peak times, so customers don’t have to wait on hold.

Q: Should I focus more on response time or customer satisfaction?

A: While response time is important, customer satisfaction should always take priority. A quick, but unsatisfactory, response can cause more harm than a slower, but thoughtful, solution.