It’s fresh on our minds how a customer who paid in full for a flight seat was dragged out of the plane while staff stood by, letting the situation escalate until it went viral. That incident wasn’t just about one employee, it was a system failure.

When someone feels okay making and sharing such a video, without regard for consequences, it shows how deep the failure runs.

“Failure in customer service is a system failure.”

Building a System that serves Customers

An organisation focused on serving customers builds systems that centre on them. That means training staff in de-escalation and empathy and ensuring that every touchpoint leaves customers feeling acknowledged even when their needs cannot be met immediately.

When people talk about a system failure, they often think it’s just one broken element. In reality, failure usually runs deep before it finally shows up in a single incident.

The problem is not the problem.

You may see your staff being disrespectful to a customer, but before you go into overdrive trying to terminate them, ask yourself: Where else has there been a failure in my system that could lead staff to think treating a customer like this is okay? Have you, as the owner, dismissed a customer’s complaint? Have managers treated some customers as “more important” than others, creating favouritism? Every daily action within your business shapes how staff treat customers.

If your system ignores or even rewards behaviours that undermine the customer experience at the back end, you will inevitably see staff disregarding customers at the front end.

What You Can Control

As I often tell my clients when I train, when it comes to customer service, you have no control over what the customer does, but you have control over how you react.

If your organisation builds the right processes, cultivates emotional intelligence, and provides tools for staff to serve effectively, you’ll experience fewer damaging incidents and fewer “drags.”

The HEARD Technique: A tool for Difficult Customers

An excellent tool for handling demanding customers is the HEARD technique. It is a helpful tool in customer service that can help de-escalate situations.

It stands for:

H – Hear: Listen carefully, not just to respond but to truly understand. When a customer is upset, don’t argue. Instead, ask yourself what they are really trying to communicate.

 E – Empathise: Put yourself in their shoes. Empathy is not pity. It is saying, “If you are not alright, I am not alright.” This mindset drives genuine care.

A – Apologise: A sincere apology goes a long way. Simple words like “I’m sorry” or “We apologise for the inconvenience” are powerful when backed by action.

R – Resolve: Take action. Either solve the problem, connect them to someone who can, or at least start the process. Even if a solution is delayed, showing commitment builds trust.

D – Diagnose: Prevent future issues by learning from each case. What policies or systems need to change so the same problem doesn’t keep coming back?

The Bigger Picture

Ultimately, businesses, brands, and professionals must create systems known for solutions. Customers should find it easy to use, reuse, and recommend your business because of a proven culture of service.

Customer service is a system element. You cannot expect it at the front end if the right tools and processes aren’t built at the back.

How are you building your systems to serve your customers?

Written by: Koyona Duke