Litter-Robot, and How to Learn from Customer Complaints

5 Tips, 7 Steps and 9 Tools for Successful Customer Complaint Management

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Philip Mandelbaum
03/24/2023

A thin, short-haired tabby cat with big yellow eyes, upright ears and long white whiskers sits on the edge of a surface, looking up inquisitively

Ninety-six percent of consumers will no longer shop a brand after experiencing bad customer service. So when a customer gives you a second chance, don’t blow it.

On September 15, 2022, I placed a call to Whisker, the brand behind Litter-Robot. As boutique cat breeders, we owned three — with the extended warranty, because of all the customer warnings online. We’d already skimmed all the YouTube videos about jimmy-rigging your Robot to avoid tech support. We’d already Googled the phone number and succumbed repeatedly to forced troubleshooting. And we’d already twice replaced the motherboard on each, deconstructing the device and bleach-scrubbing the caked-on litter and excrement.

On this call last fall, an automated message informed me that, with all the increased — not decreased — support volume, Litter-Robot would no longer be speaking to customers on the phone. For many, including older and disabled customers, this would mean:

No answers
No solutions
No working product
No satisfaction

Utterly flummoxed, I took to social media; I wasn’t going to use the website contact form — hidden behind a button at the bottom of the ‘support’ page — in hopes of possibly receiving a response. We actually needed working litter boxes, like humans need functioning toilets.

Since I was (and am) a verified user under a pseudonym on Twitter, I leveraged that account to get the attention of the company, tagging them and adding:

Your litter robots break constantly. Every time you send us parts, WE have to install them. All 3 of ours are broken AGAIN. We need REPLACEMENTS. And you have the AUDACITY to remove phone service!?

Four hours later, the brand account replied, making excuses:

We're so sorry this has been happening with your Litter-Robot. We're currently experiencing an influx of communication which has resulted in higher than normal wait times. Can you please send us a DM with your case number and serial number?

(Unfortunately, poorly trained AI can’t feign empathy.)

An orange, black, brown and white angry cat, sitting up tall on a long wooden table in a modern country kitchen, staring angrily at the camera

“There is no case, because you turned off your phones,” I replied. “And there is not one serial number, there are 3 — which you would’ve known if you’d done your job and actually READ what I wrote.”

Then, I added: “Feel free to DM me. I’ll send you my name and address. And you can send me 3 new litter robots.”

Within one minute, I received this private message: “I would be more than happy to add you to our priority callback/email list. Is there a phone number you would like to be reached at as well?”

I gave them my phone number, asked for an ETA on “that priority call,” and was told I’d receive one within 24 hours. But I got a call and an email within two hours, and by September 16 our replacements had already been ordered.

At this point — based on my own past experiences, and since I’d seen so many other distressed customer pleas ignored for months on the very same app — I was certain of three things:

With no phone service and a 72- to 120-hour wait time for an email response, Litter-Robot did not prioritize customer experience
Litter-Robot did understand the importance of customer ranking, as exemplified by the same-day response I received, particularly in contrast to the brand’s literal non-response to customers with non-verified social media accounts
Litter-Robot did not understand the permanence of social media or the importance of brand reputation, as indicated by the brand’s negligence in exposing its disparate treatment of varying customer segments

So, I pondered, what if I hadn’t had a verified Twitter account? What if I couldn’t convince this brand with which we’d spent thousands of dollars that I was worth assisting? What if I were visually impaired and required audio support?

Cat eyes, looking suspiciously through the crack of a barely open box

Another Chance for the Litter-Robot by Whisker: Did The CX Team Learn from Customer Complaints?

Nine months later, I got some answers:

Litter-Robot’s public miscues with me were never internalized
No one bothered to flag my account in case of future support needs
Litter-Robot’s customer support processes were not improved

How do I know? Well, our Litter-Robot broke again — and this time my expectations were foolishly higher; I assumed they’d remember me, or that they’d know better how to handle customer complaints.

So, this March 4, I tacked on to the original email thread, expecting a quick reply from the same “product specialist” who’d finally helped us six months ago.

I waited three days and, after no response, emailed again. Again, no response. So, on Thursday, March 16, 12 days after my original request, I finally started cursing like a typical customer. And still, no response!

I then waited five more days and informed them of this impending exposé. It’s critical brands learn from their — and other brands’ — mistakes.

Meanwhile, I returned to Twitter to see if public shaming would again expedite the process. And, lo and behold, after much hand wringing and unnecessary back and forth, I suddenly had a voicemail from that same specialist.

Only this time, Litter-Robot also assigned a “social media specialist” to email me — asking for a serial number she would’ve already known had she:

Conducted even a bit of research into our account
Asked to be added to the original email thread, instead of creating a second, unnecessary one

A tiny gray and white kitten stands on the floor, an inch from a laptop, staring at the screen

Here’s how I responded:

All three of our devices have extended warranties, so either send us a replacement for the first one that broke (you do have records, don't you?), which is what I emailed 18 days ago, or ask [name redacted] to help me. We are in the middle of redoing our home and do not have the time or energy to fish out your broken product to give you a serial number you can identify yourself. This is horrible CX from a “CX Team.”

This produced an email from a third Litter-Robot employee: “an escalation specialist,” who did a little extra apologizing before repeating that we had to surface the most recently defective device’s serial number.

So I did. And she responded that she’d “be happy to have a replacement base sent over.”

A refurbished replacement part. Not a new, updated-model Litter-Robot. Not three, new Litter-Robots (since our other two will soon break again as well). No.

Forget that we’ve spent 300% more than the average customer
Forget that we went through this with them just six months ago, and three separate times before that
Forget that every single day there are new Litter-Robot competitors — like Smarty Pear, PetSafe or Hillpig — that would love to win our business

No. Nothing but another part that’ll likely break again by September. Which means we — and many other disgruntled customers — won’t be using Litter-Robot once our warranties expire.

A litter of newborn kittens with different markings in black, brown and orange

The Top 5 Tips for Capitalizing on Customer Complaints

You know what Litter-Robot and Whisker could have done? They could have listened to us. They could have listened to all their customers. And they could’ve converted those customer complaints into strategic business opportunities.

Here’s how:

1. Don’t merely resolve the immediate issue — use it to prevent the next one

While many companies believe they can anticipate and ‘forward-resolve,’ they rarely do due to excessive focus on call times. Instead, customer experience teams need to consider the entire customer support process, as customers gauge the effort they expend based not only on how a call is handled but how the company as a whole manages evolving service needs and experiences.

2. Focus on empathy

Sophisticated consumers expect more than personalization — they want to feel understood and valued, across all their interactions with the brand. Twenty-four percent of repeat support calls stem from emotional disconnects between customers and reps, but with basic instruction they can learn to not only listen but hear and respond accordingly.

3. Minimize channel switching — by improving self-servicing

We all think we want choice, and to some extent we do, but when we have too many choices, most of us feel overwhelmed. If a customer is confused or angry already, the last thing you want to do is aggravate the issue by hiding solutions in far-off places. Ask yourself: wouldn’t switching from a brand’s social media to their website, and from their website help center to their online chat, make you feel exasperated and increasingly alienated? Needless to say, that’s not what you want. So, instead of providing support everywhere in every way, use your zero- and first-party customer data from your owned properties to determine the type (or types) of support each of your audience segments prefers. Then, create pathways on your website and other properties so that help is readily available. And always ensure there’s a live human who can step in as needed.

4. Learn from your mistakes

Most of us record our customer calls. Many have some form of internal dashboard where we input customer feedback. But how many of us actually use that customer feedback? As George Costanza and Kenny Bania famously say on Seinfeld, “That’s gold, baby.” So, why aren’t we leveraging it to inform our future strategies, tactics and behaviors? With what your customers tell you, you may be able to implement dramatic improvements not only to your support processes and digital properties but to the products, services and people that/who make your brand.

5. Replace productivity with positivity — and empower your support reps

Average handle time doesn’t matter if the customers hang up, dissatisfied or worse. Even if you “fix” the immediate problem, you haven’t succeeded if the customer doesn’t feel heard, respected and valued. And they’ll likely turn to a competitor. Even worse, they may also take to social media to trash your brand, your product or your customer service. So, abandon your reliance on “productivity,” update your customer success KPIs, and reward customer success experiences that not only resolve issues but strengthen relationships.

A tiny hairball of a brown tabby kitten, wearing a red Christmas present bow

7 Steps to Successful Customer Complaint Management

To make the very most of each and every customer complaint, follow these seven steps:

1. Assess the problem

Determine the source of the complaint by listening and asking questions; what product, service or experience led to the issue, and why?
Develop an understanding of the customer’s perspective; ask yourself: how would I feel if I were in their situation?
Confirm you understand the type of resolution or restitution the customer seeks
Develop a checklist of concerns
Identify possible solutions, and how those solutions can be provided

2. Assess the customer

For customers who are openly angry, stay calm and respond firmly and politely
For high-value customers who expect premium support, don’t make excuses and move as quickly as possible toward resolution; also, consider creating a VIP folder and workflow to streamline identification and response
For repeat callers, avoid showing frustration and work toward nurturing them into repeat customers (they are clearly invested already)

3. Assess your products, services and/or processes

Identify the impacted departments, employees, policies, processes, products, services, accounts, marketing materials and legal/compliance requirements
Gather files, correspondence (letters and emails), statements and any meeting or telephone call notes, and share details with impacted parties
Request and review materials from the impacted parties so you can better understand the product, service or process under review
Clearly outline all areas of dispute between the customer and your company
Clearly outline all areas that need further investigation
Allocate the appropriate amount of time for the investigation

4. Weigh the evidence

Identify any internal processes that may have led to the customer complaint
Identify any online technical errors that may have led to the customer complaint
Identify any product/service defects
Identify any breakdowns or malfunctions in manufacturing, shipping and other areas managed by third parties
If necessary, reconvene with the customer and/or internal and external stakeholders to gather additional information
If necessary, seek legal advice

5. Provide solutions as quickly as possible

Apologize
Provide a clear, chronological explanation of what went wrong, as well as how you investigated the matter, how you came to your decision and how you’ll be preventing future occurrences
Offer a replacement product/service (or product repair), as appropriate
Add a goodwill gesture, like a future discount
Request a public review, if they’re satisfied with the resolution
Ask what you can do better next time, and what the company can do better to improve their products, their services and/or the customer experiences they provide

6. Fix the problem, no matter what it is

Faulty product or service
Unreasonable delay in product or service delivery
Inaccurate or misleading advertising or marketing
Poor customer experience
Failure to comply with legal requirements or regulations
Anything else

7. Log the experience so you can track resolutions and trends

Not satisfied with your analytics, performance measurement, data visualization or reporting capabilities?

A tan-colored exotic shorthair cat stands against a wooden wall, staring at his reflection, with the rest of the mirror reflecting blue

Invest in a Customer Support Platform

You already know that by automating your employees’ more mundane responsibilities, you can free them up to focus on the message, and the big picture. Sometimes, though, CX tech is about more than automating and streamlining; it’s also about organizing, understanding and improving — and that’s where the customer support platform comes in, delivering: