The 10 Worst Customer Service Fails of All Time
Customer service is often the backbone of successful businesses, ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty. Delivering great customer service should be the focus of any business that wants to be in the limelight. Unfortunately, it’s not always the case. History has shown that even major companies can fall short, resulting in some of the worst customer service fails of all time. Let’s take a look at some of the 10 worst (presented in no particular order).
1. Comcast’s Name-Calling Incident
Comcast, often criticized for its poor customer service, hit a new low in 2015 when a customer discovered his bill had been addressed to “A**hole Brown” instead of his actual name, Ricardo Brown. The insult was reportedly added by a customer service agent after a heated conversation. His wife, Lisa, was shocked and irate when she saw the insulting bill. She contacted Comcast to try and have the name corrected, visiting her local Comcast office and even phoning regional executives. Comcast ultimately issued an apology.
Along with the apology, Comcast offered to refund her. But when Brown thought about it, she decided she wanted a full refund from the company for treating her this way. In the end, an embarrassed Comcast did try to do right by her, offering to refund her for the last two years and to give her two years of service at no charge. Although Comcast apologized, the incident highlighted the company’s lack of quality control and respect for its customers.
2. The United Airlines’ Great Blunder
The United Airlines staff damaged a musician’s guitar on board years ago. David Caroll was taking his seat when he noticed a few crew members throwing his instrument on the tarmac. He was powerless even though he reported this damage and horrible behavior.
Everything he faced was indifference and the unwillingness to help. After this customer service horror story, the musician recorded a song called ‘United Breaks Guitars’ and wrote a book ‘United Breaks Guitars: The Power of One Voice in the Age of Social Media’. They soon got millions of reviews and won huge popularity.
This is a great example of how bad customer experience can damage a business. But it’s also a reminder that empathy is central to building a winning customer support team. If the staff doesn’t care about the mistakes and making amends, things won’t work out. Practice empathy with customers regularly by asking more questions and showing your commitment. Clients always want to feel heard.
3. The Flushed-Down-the-Toilet Customer Service
I am always wowed by Amazon’s customer support. However, the story that happened with Barbara made me pause to think. Everything started when the woman ordered three cartons of toilet paper for almost $90. Can you imagine her surprise when she was charged with shipping costs of more than $7,000?
At first, Barbara was concerned. I mean, Amazon is one of those companies that put a premium on its customers. But not this time. Sure, she contacted a support department and even wrote a letter to Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos. The answer she received was that the refund wouldn’t be possible as the package was delivered on time and undamaged. You can imagine the customer feeling was one of frustration and disappointment, as the issue wasn’t resolved.
This crazy customer service story goes viral once the woman brings it to a local TV station. That’s what forced Amazon to take action. Almost three months later Barbara was finally reimbursed.
4. Pepsi’s Customer Lawsuit Over a Jet
In the 1990s, Pepsi ran an advertisement that claimed customers could win a Harrier Jet for collecting 7 million Pepsi Points. A man named John Leonard took this literally and attempted to claim the jet by pooling resources and buying Pepsi Points. When Pepsi refused, stating the ad was a joke, Leonard sued the company.
It was found that the advertisement featuring the jet did not constitute an offer under the Restatement (Second) of Contracts. The court found that no reasonable person could have believed that the company seriously intended to convey a jet worth roughly $37.4 million for $700,000, i.e., that it was mere puffery. The court sided with Pepsi, but the debacle highlighted the importance of clarity in marketing and customer communication.
You sense that Pepsi is still embarrassed by the skirmish. The fight for the jet did the company no favours whatsoever.
5. The Illegitimate Check
This customer horror story is sort of silly. One man wanted to pay off his car loan and tried to cash in his tax rebate of $8,000 with his bank. The clerk didn’t believe the check was real and asked a client where he got it from and where he worked. The bank manager also said the client’s registration address was fake.
The next day the man was arrested for fraud and spent several nights behind bars before the police and bank investigators were able to drop charges. What happened to the car? It was auctioned off and the poor guy was fired (obviously, he didn’t show up for work). The fact that the bank didn’t apologize straight away makes this customer service horror story really miserable. And that is where the support department dropped the ball.
Only one year later the bank apologized for this mind-blowing mistake. The main takeaway: trust your customers and don’t get too suspicious of taking your customer for fraud!
6. United Airlines Drags Passenger Off Flight
In 2017, United Airlines became the center of a global scandal when a video surfaced showing Dr. David Dao being violently dragged off an overbooked flight. Despite having a ticket and being seated, Dr. Dao was chosen to be removed to make space for airline employees.
The incident left him with a concussion, two lost teeth and a broken nose. It ultimately led to a financial settlement with United and the firing of two Chicago aviation security officers, and spurred airlines to change some ways they do business. The incident not only caused a PR nightmare but also led to lawsuits and widespread outrage about airline policies.
7. FedEx’s Package Toss
A FedEx delivery person was caught on camera in 2011 throwing a computer monitor over a fence instead of delivering it properly. The delivery man, caught by a security camera, carries the box to the gates of the house and, without even ringing the doorbell, carelessly throws the package over the fence. Adding to the list of grievances, the customer says he was home with his door open.
The video went viral, prompting FedEx to issue a public apology and retrain its staff. Despite their efforts to rectify the situation, the incident became synonymous with careless delivery practices.
8. Tesla’s Poor Response to an Exploding Car
Tesla is known for its cutting-edge technology, but its customer service fell short when a Tesla Model S exploded in a Shanghai parking garage in 2019. The owner sought explanations, but Tesla’s response was dismissive, offering little clarity or empathy.
Many criticized Tesla’s customer service for not being transparent enough about the incident, failing to promptly address concerns, and not providing sufficient information to affected customers regarding the cause of the fire and potential safety risks, leading to a perception of inadequate communication and response to the situation. This sparked debates about transparency and accountability in handling customer concerns, especially for high-value products.
When Tesla did provide an explanation, it was seen by some as too vague, attributing the fire to a “battery module issue” without providing specifics about the defect or potential wider concerns. The lack of transparency fueled concerns that Tesla was trying to downplay the seriousness of the incident, potentially impacting customer trust.
9. Applebee’s Social Media Meltdown
Applebee’s made headlines in 2013 for mishandling a social media crisis. The trouble began when the restaurant fired a waitress for sharing a customer’s rude note about tipping online. Chelsea Welch, who did not serve the table in question, said she thought the comment written to her co-worker was insulting, but comical. “I posted it to Reddit because I thought other users would find it entertaining,” she said. The negative comments poured in, thousands an hour.
Applebee’s says its social media policy is simple: to be as open and accessible as possible. After the backlash started, Applebee’s tried to defend itself on Facebook by arguing with customers and deleting negative comments. Their poorly managed responses only amplified the outrage.
Companies need to learn that not responding is sometimes the correct response. If you’re under attack, you may need to get out of the way and let it play out. This is especially true when the conversation has turned so angry and negative that any response will just fan the flames.
10. The Unexpected McDonald’s Drive-Through Rage
The next customer service story can make you think twice before attending McDonald’s. Once upon a time, a family of three visited a McDonald’s drive-through. After waiting 15 minutes for their order, they asked for a refund. The cashier showed no signs of help, so the manager stepped in. His reaction was more than unpredictable.
The video of the enraged manager’s response was posted on Facebook and the incident was covered by local social media. This behavior is obnoxious for a brand as highly scripted as McDonald’s. But the lesson of it is simple: the lack of quality management backfired. This is the key element in boosting customer experience as it pinpoints whether your team is doing well (or not).
People complain and that’s a common thing. Don’t let them get angrier and keep these customer service horror stories in mind. They are a vivid example of how you should NOT treat your clients if you want your business to do well.
To avoid a dreaded nightmare customer service situation (and not to end up in a blog post like this one), a support team should handle every client request politely, professionally, and promptly.
