Detractors

A detractor is a customer who is unhappy with the level of customer service they were provided, so much so that when asked the question, “How likely are you to recommend [the product] to a friend or colleague?” they answered a number between 1-6, on a scale of 1-10. A detractor is likelier to write a bad review, negatively impacting a company’s reputation.

When presented with a detractor, a contact center or customer experience team should aim to flip the narrative and turn the user into a promoter. To turn a detractor into a promoter, their original issue should be rectified, and they should be offered an incentive (like a discount or a free product) that turns a negative experience into a positive one. A great post-negative customer experience shows that the company or service provider takes customer service seriously and values every user.