Picture this: You have a poor dining experience, and ask for the check early. However, instead of giving you the check the waiter hands you another menu and encourages you to try something else. Then the manager comes over and makes a giant production out of the ordeal, when the only thing you want to do is grab your coat and leave.
You probably wouldn’t be too happy about this.
Sometimes, in other words, the best way to handle an unhappy customer is to usher him or her out the door as quickly as possible. Why make the customer wait any longer? They’re already miserable!
Mobile developers and content producers, I’m talking to you here. When customers go to delete their accounts, let them leave without any hassle. Show some dignity! They have already demonstrated that they dislike your service.
Just recently, a high profile company got into hot water for pestering its customers when it posted a long-winded apology in the issue resolution screen of its mobile application, which appears after customers delete their accounts. The company did this in response to a negative incident that went viral and caused many people to jump ship.
Whether or not the message was sincere, it missed the mark entirely. It read as a last ditch effort to stop the bleeding.
If this was my client, I would have advised them to post the message on their blog, or send it out in an email blast. It could have also been posted on their website. This would have been the classier thing to do.
So remember: Before posting any type of content, think about how it will be perceived by your customers. And if you have any doubts, ask for a second opinion.
