Why You Shouldn't Hide Customer Support Contact Options
Hiding support contact options frustrates consumers, erodes loyalty, and makes them more likely to switch to competitors
A special kind of rage is reserved for that moment when you need to speak to a human being, preferably one not controlled by an algorithm. The website has buried the phone number like the last bag of Halloween candy hidden from your spouse.
You scroll, click, scroll some more, and finally type something unhinged like, "WHY CAN'T I F*CKIN' SPEAK TO A HUMAN?" into the search bar. If you're lucky, this meltdown might summon a chatbot that understands English well enough to direct you to a telephone support number—the unholy grail of customer experience.
The Digital Gatekeepers
Let's address the obvious: Companies don't hide their contact information to foster a sense of adventure. They do it because they believe that if they make it hard enough, you'll either give up or figure it out alone, leaving them to sip their metaphorical piña coladas. At the same time, you wrestle with questions that are allegedly asked frequently and written by someone who has little understanding of your needs.
When the Human Touch Matters
The problem with this hide-and-seek game is that sometimes you must speak to someone. You know, someone who can hear the panic in your voice when you're trying to get a refund for the mystery charge that appeared on your bank statement. Sure, there's live chat, but let's be honest: if the conversation starts with "Hi! I'm Bot-73! How can I help you today?" you're already at a disadvantage.
Hiding Isn't Helping
Here's the kicker: Hiding contact options doesn't decrease support requests. It just annoys customers. It's like putting a maze between your front door and living room and expecting your guests to be thrilled with the obstacle course. People still call — except they are now angrier than they were initially.
You thought they were frustrated? Wait until they spend 40 minutes on hold only to hear they're in the wrong queue.
The Myth of the "Efficient" Support Model
There's a corporate logic to this madness, of course. Some companies think that forcing you to navigate a labyrinth of self-service options promotes "efficiency." What they're promoting is a spike in your blood pressure. Meanwhile, they boast about "streamlining" support, ignoring the screaming hordes begging for a human voice on the other end of the line.
Why Accessibility Matters
Imagine this: You're trying to report a fraudulent charge or cancel a subscription, and the only way to reach the company is by sending a carrier pigeon. Not much better than navigating an unmarked website. Real accessibility means offering contact options that respect people's varying needs and technological skills. Not everyone wants to type their life story into a chatbox or wait for an email response that arrives next Tuesday.
Customer Loyalty Is Fragile
Suppose you have tried to contact your cell phone provider and ended up in a queue that feels like a lifetime sentence. In that case, you know that hiding support options isn't just inconvenient—it's a betrayal. Customers remember. And when a competitor makes it easy to call them, they might take their business (and their simmering resentment) elsewhere.
The Gist: Make It Easy
Building lasting customer relationships is impossible when your organization treats customer support like a game of Whac-A-Mole.
Make it easy to call, chat, or email. Don't make us channel our inner detective just to find help. Nothing says "we value your business" quite like giving people the dignity of human connection—without the digital scavenger hunt.
It’s like you’ve taken the words right out of my mouth. There have been so.many.times my frustration has grown over trying to find a contact phone number for a supplier. Sadly, this results in the poor customer service person having to deal with an angry customer. I’ll work with a company that posts their phone number openly over a company that makes me waste my precious time trying to find it.
This shouldn’t need to be written. It should be obvious. But, like many things in this digital world, apparently it is not. (And I encountered the problem myself.)