The modern customer is demanding great support for even the smallest transaction. The best customer service companies understand shoppers’ desire for a personalized experience and are building trust and loyalty by delivering it.
The companies that have reviews about the worst customer service often fail – multiple times – to deliver what customers want or need. There is a great deal to learn from what clients call the best and worst customer service. You can either let your customer experience attract more clients, or you can drive them away. a
What are the best lessons for customer support?
Analyzing 65,942 responses from PissedConsumer’s 2025 best and worst customer service list, along with online reviews and shopping trends, shows what truly matters to consumers. Companies at the top demonstrate strong problem-solving, personalized interactions, and efficient use of technology, whereas those at the bottom expose gaps that frustrate customers.
Strong issue resolution
When a customer reaches out to the company, they want a solution. 89% of respondents said that they are likely to make another purchase after a positive customer service experience. That means you need to find the answer to client issues every time.
The solution might be as simple as a discount on a future purchase for offering your company valuable feedback. Or it might be walking the customer through the steps to set up the item correctly, sending a replacement part. Some just want to be heard, and others need answers. Be ready with a listening ear and consistent protocols for action steps.
A blend of AI and human interaction
The best brands also blend the speed and convenience of AI and chatbots with the personalization of human interaction. A recent survey found that 67% of customers preferred self-service over speaking with a company representative. But that same Zendesk survey found that 40% will call customer service after trying to sort out the issue themselves.
Customers feel strongly that AI falls short and times, and value a human agent when situations require problem-solving and tact. The companies that do customer service well have blended the two options to give consumers both the autonomy they want and the specific support certain situations require.
Personalization
Consumer feedback indicates that a personalized shopping experience is increasingly important. McKinsey found that 71% of customers expect your company to provide a personalized experience, and 76% get frustrated when they don’t receive it.
Companies that offer the best customer experience use data analysis tools to understand behavior and patterns, then leverage that data to create a more personalized experience.
What creates the worst customer support?
The companies often listed at the bottom of a best and worst support list have a few things in common. These companies often have many independent components or contractors with inconsistent support. They also rely too heavily on automation or lack a human element.
A fragmented and inconsistent approach
If you want to make an angry consumer angrier, have them repeat their complaint multiple times through multiple channels without resolution. Companies with the worst customer service ratings often offer support channels that are unclear or complex.
Food delivery companies, for example, make it hard for customers to resolve issues with one of the thousands of contracted drivers. Major retailers that allow reselling face similar issues, as the parent company can’t address concerns when working with an independent reseller.
To avoid these issues, invest in a streamlined customer service model across the parent company and ensure all agents are held to consistent expectations for customer satisfaction.
Missing a human element
Chatbots are good for simple issues or questions, but companies that rely almost exclusively on chatbots rather than human agents aren’t well-received. Getting stuck in an automated loop that never offers a phone number or human contact option will enrage even the most patient customers.
To avoid this issue, blend automation with customer service. Let AI chatbots address low-level concerns while referring more complex issues to humans via chat or other contact options. Human interaction builds trust and long-term loyalty.
What are customers saying about the best and worst customer support?
Ultimately, it is clients who determine which companies have the best and worst customer support. Blend of fast AI and tactful human agents is seen as top customer service. Companies with many independent contractors or franchise agents saw significant dips in customer satisfaction.