Welcome to "No Excuses: CX Leadership Chronicles" - the go-to source for insights, strategies, and best practices in customer experience leadership. At CloudInteract, we believe there’s no excuse for bad customer service. This philosophy, championed by our co-founder and CEO Simon Leyland, drives everything we do as we help businesses reimagine their customer interactions.
There’s no excuse for bad customer service. Yet, here we are – again - talking about another well-established financial services provider making it near-impossible for customers to get the help they need.
It’s 2025, and people still can’t send a message to their bank when a transaction goes missing. Instead, they’re forced to call at the hours that suit the bank, not the customer. No digital contact options, no real-time self-service, just a static FAQ page that, unsurprisingly, doesn’t have the answers needed. And it’s not just one company - this is happening across industries.
We’ve all been there. Desperately needing support, only to be met with friction at every turn. No digital channels. No flexibility. No empathy. Just a process built for operational efficiency at the expense of customer experience. And we wonder why customers leave.
Why Are We Still Here?
I understand the internal justifications. Legacy systems. Compliance restrictions. Fear of change. But none of these should stand in the way of offering a simple, effective way for customers to contact you. At the very least, let them send a message.
Here’s a reality check: the companies making it hard for customers to get in touch aren’t saving money - they’re handing customers over to competitors. Every interaction is an opportunity. Every touchpoint builds trust (or erodes it). The cost of acquiring a new customer is significantly higher than keeping an existing one, yet many brands invest heavily in marketing only to let customers slip away when they actually need support.
The financial sector is particularly guilty of this. Some banks still refuse to offer even the most basic digital service options. Others cut voice support down to the bare minimum, frustrating customers to the point where they’ll do anything to avoid calling.
And then there are the horror stories. One major bank cancelled all of a customers’ cards on Christmas Eve due to ‘suspicious activity’ - but their security team was off until December 27. No override. No escalation. Just a system that said no. Lucky for them, they had another card. Not everyone does.
The Price of Avoidance
Companies that restrict service channels aren’t just making life harder for customers - they’re actively damaging their brand.
Let’s break it down:
- Lost Revenue: If customers can’t reach you, they’ll go elsewhere. That ‘cost per contact’ you’re trying to reduce? It’s nothing compared to the cost of losing a customer for life.
- Brand Erosion: Today’s customers don’t just tolerate bad service. They call it out. Publicly. On social media, review sites, and industry forums. And once your reputation takes a hit, it’s hard to recover.
- Missed Opportunities: Every customer interaction is a chance to strengthen loyalty, drive cross-sell and upsell, or gain invaluable feedback. By cutting off easy access, you’re not just avoiding costs - you’re avoiding growth.
A Better Way Forward
Fixing this isn’t about adding more channels for the sake of it. It’s about strategically designing customer contact to be effortless, intelligent, and valuable for both the customer and the business.
Here’s what good looks like:
- Digital-first, but not digital-only – Customers expect seamless options: self-service, messaging, chat, and voice when they need it.
- Smart, structured interactions – Instead of blocking contact, create structured digital forms to capture key details and streamline responses.
- Personalisation at scale – AI-powered systems can help businesses prioritise high-value or urgent cases while automating routine inquiries.
- Always-on, customer-first mindset – Service shouldn’t stop at 5 PM. Whether through automation, async messaging, or intelligent routing, businesses need to be accessible when customers need them.
The Companies That Will Win
The businesses that survive and thrive in the coming years will be the ones that put customers first, not themselves. Those who still see customer service as a cost centre instead of a value driver will be left behind. Natural selection will take care of the rest.
At CloudInteract, we help companies reimagine customer service by implementing smart, scalable, and customer-centric contact solutions. If you’re struggling with legacy barriers, inefficient service channels, or simply don’t know where to start, let’s talk. There’s a better way - and we can help you get there.
Book a 30-minute strategy session to see how you can transform your customer contact strategy and stop serving your customers to competitors.
There’s no excuse for bad customer service. And at CloudInteract, we’re proving there’s no excuse for standing still, either.
