Why Customer Service Is Getting Worse

Customer service is getting worse in many places. Customers often feel frustrated and complain, while service workers feel annoyed, stressed, and even give up. One major reason is that people see service jobs as low-status or less important, which creates a negative attitude toward the work. The idea of "service" is sometimes linked with being controlled or treated like a servant, and even the word comes from a Latin term connected to slavery, which makes it sound disrespectful. On top of that, sayings like "the customer is always right" can make things unfair because customers are not always correct. They may misunderstand a product or fail to read important details, which leads to wrong expectations and conflict.

Employees should change how they think about service. It is not about simply obeying or being polite; it is about adding real value for others. Instead of treating service like a duty, staff should focus on helping, motivating, and positively influencing people. Good service builds a connection. Customers also expect to feel noticed, satisfied, and pleasantly surprised by strong support. Service goes beyond just answering requests; it involves curiosity, using knowledge effectively, and encouraging others in the process.

"High-impact service" means raising the standard of customer care, like what is seen at Singapore's Changi Airport. Singapore is a small country with under six million people, but it has become a strong global center for business, finance, and hospitality. After gaining independence in 1965, it faced major challenges. Its first leader, Lee Kuan Yew, aimed to reshape the nation's image. He understood that first impressions matter, starting with a welcoming entry point such as the airport, which reflects the country's quality and care.

Changi Airport is the seventh busiest airport in the world and handles around 42 million people every year. It is built to make travel less tiring and more comfortable. It has a butterfly garden, a big multi-floor slide, play areas, spas, movie theaters, and many other facilities. Foo Sek Min, an executive vice president, says the aim is to reduce stress for travelers and make their journey smooth. A company can improve service quality by following five simple actions that make customer interactions better and more positive.

Step One: Build a Strong Service Culture

Begin by understanding that the purpose of your organization must focus on service. This helps you set the right direction for improvement. Avoid strict control from managers that limits employees; instead, give them the freedom to take action and improve customer experience on the spot.

Every organization is different, so identify the service methods that truly fit your workplace and change or remove the ones that don't work. Create clear service terms and use the same language across the organization so everyone stays aligned. Keep improving step by step without stopping.

As seen at Changi Airport, after training, employees often realize the impact of good service. They notice how travelers respond and how colleagues improve as well. This creates a shift where service stops being just training and becomes something employees personally take responsibility for.

Step Two: Building a Service-Driven Company Culture

A strong service-focused company culture is created through leadership at every level, with top leaders, middle managers, and employees all playing a role. In top-down leadership, CEOs and executives set the example by showing the behavior they expect from others. In bottom-up leadership, regular employees take the lead in improving customer service on their own. A good example is Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, where workers naturally entertain customers and create a lively experience without being told. If a company ignores customer service, it risks losing its customers. Successful businesses like Nordstrom and Zappos stay ahead because they consistently prioritize customer service in their culture. Leaders must act as role models, not just give instructions. For example, a senior executive from Panasonic once visited a factory and quietly picked up a paper clip from the floor in front of 700 employees. Instead of criticizing anyone, he showed through his action that maintaining standards matters.

Step Three: Create a Strong Service Language

A strong service culture is built through simple and clear workplace language that all employees understand and use. Every company should create its own "service language" to guide behavior. For example, employees can be given special names or roles like "cast members" or "sandwich artists" to build a shared identity. Some companies also use short words or codes to guide actions, such as "UP," which reminds employees to focus on customers through steps like Stand Up, Suit Up, Speak Up, Step Up, and Stay Up. If a company does not already have this kind of system, it should develop easy and clear terms that workers can quickly learn and apply. Instead of only focusing on price or products, businesses should build a clear service vision that strengthens customer relationships that competitors cannot easily copy.

To build a strong service culture, companies must hire and keep employees who match their values. Google uses a strict hiring process to do this. It rejects most resumes and only contacts a small number of candidates for short phone interviews lasting 30-40 minutes. Those who do well are invited to Google's campus for two rounds of face-to-face interviews. These interviews test knowledge, problem-solving, technical ability, and thinking style. In the final round, a group of at least four employees decides whether the candidate truly fits Google's culture and is "Googley" enough to join the team.

New hires can strongly shape a service-focused workplace, either improving it or weakening it. Make sure company values are clear so employees can easily understand what is expected. Hire people who match those values and avoid those who do not fit the culture. Employees who align well help keep teams coordinated and working in the same direction across all areas. Encourage current staff to recommend people who share similar values and thinking. Avoid rushing to fill job openings, because quick hiring can lead to poor fit and more turnover. Taking time to choose the right person reduces cost, saves effort, and builds a more stable and effective team. New employees should start with clear service training from the beginning. Focus on building a strong service mindset instead of only teaching basic tasks. Train values like high-quality customer care so employees understand expectations early. Include cross-training so they learn how different departments work together. Also, add a trial period so new hires can decide if the job is right for them. If it's not a good match, they should be allowed to leave freely without any penalty.

Managers should notice and appreciate staff when they deliver strong customer service. Simple rewards can help motivate employees, such as giving flowers, chocolates, handwritten thank-you notes, plaques or awards, organizing a recognition lunch, providing a day off, or arranging a special celebration. These actions make workers feel valued and encourage better performance. For example, Singapore's NTUC Income insurance company supports workers in tough, low-income jobs like construction-related roles. It highlights top performers through a "Hall of Fame" display, where customer feedback is shown on paper stars and hearts, praising employees who go beyond expectations. This kind of recognition system builds pride, improves motivation, and encourages staff to keep serving customers well.

Customer feedback is important for improving service quality. Surveys are often used to understand customer opinions and find ways to improve. Complaints should be taken seriously because they help fix problems and improve performance. Customer complaints can:

• Show missing, outdated, or unnecessary information.
• Highlight areas that need improvement.
• Point out where employees need more training or guidance.
• Help reduce carelessness and overconfidence in service.
• Reveal ideas for new products or services that customers want.

Customer feedback should be listened to carefully. Useful suggestions and criticism should not be ignored because they help improve service. When customers leave, it is important to ask why and try to win them back. Bringing back an old customer usually costs less than finding a new one. Xerox's Dubai branch (Xerox Emirates) created a program called "Bounce!" to improve customer service. In this program, employees are allowed to go beyond normal service to solve customer problems. For example, one unhappy customer was invited by Xerox staff to play two rounds of golf with company executives to repair the relationship and improve satisfaction.

Step Four: Customer Service Levels

Customer service can be divided into levels based on how customers are treated. The lowest level is "criminal," where promises are not kept, customers lose trust, stop buying, and share negative experiences with others. "Basic" service only meets the minimum requirement; customers are not openly unhappy, but they don't return or recommend the company. "Expected" service delivers what customers anticipate, but nothing extra, so it does not build loyalty, and customers may still choose another company. "Desired" service improves the experience by being faster, friendlier, and offering more helpful options. "Surprising" service goes further by clearly understanding what customers value and thoughtfully giving exactly that. The highest level, "unbelievable," creates an outstanding experience that customers remember for a long time and actively recommend to others.

Customer service improves step by step with every interaction. Each time a customer deals with a company, they create "perception points" that shape their overall opinion. Even a single strong good or bad experience can sometimes matter more than all other interactions combined. These impressions come from many factors, such as first and last contact with staff, product quality, advertising, store or office environment, speed of service, ease of process, and company procedures. Customers also use all their senses when judging a business. What they see, hear, feel, taste, or smell can strongly influence whether they develop a positive or negative view of a product or service.

Step Five: Improve Customer Service Across the Organization

The final step in improving service is to move the whole organization forward. If customer service is weak, it is a common issue in many companies and can be improved. Leaders must fully commit to better service and show it through real actions, not just words. They should also create steering teams in different departments to lead service improvements and apply key systems across the company. Service teams should focus on:

• How to welcome customers properly.
• How to present products or services clearly and effectively.
• How to manage and track orders.
• How to ensure customers are satisfied.
• How to build stronger relationships with customers.

Businesses improve service by learning through experience and trial. Many focus only on teams that deal directly with customers, but stronger results often come from starting inside the organization. Internal departments like finance, legal, and production should be improved first since they support all customer-facing work. When these teams serve each other well, the whole system becomes more efficient, and external customer service improves naturally. If leaders do not fully prioritize service, change can still start from employees. Find staff members who already value good service and let them influence others. Their example can slowly shift attitudes and help leadership recognize the importance of strong service across the organization.