Learn the meaning and potential consequences of pain points for a business.
Pain points refer to specific issues encountered by customers, both existing and potential, within the business environment. Pain points can lead to negative experiences for customers, influencing their decision-making process and potentially dissuading them from making a purchase.
Notably, customer pain points can have implications on several aspects of a business, including product quality, research and development, brand image, and competitive positioning.
In a Statista survey looking at drivers of customer frustration, 27 percent of Americans said ineffective customer service, while 12 percent cited lack of speed as their primary concern [1].
Pain points can have an effect on any stage of the customer journey. The list below outlines a few common types of customer pain points.
Productivity pain points. Productivity pain points can stem from inefficient workflows and obsolete or out-of-date tools. For example, manual entry of product details into an inventory management system can be cumbersome and lead to customer dissatisfaction.
Support pain points. Lacking customer support for a product or service creates a support pain point for customers. Limited availability of sales representatives during the purchase phase and prolonged delays in obtaining technical support are common manifestations of support pain points.
Financial pain points. Financial pain points arise when customers perceive the lack of a fair deal. Hidden fees, ambiguous price models, or changing rates can also deter customers from making a purchase.
Process pain points. This type of pain point results from design shortcomings, such as an excessive number of steps to download an application or a clumsy drop-down menu, leading to poor user experiences.
Here are some tips for identifying pain points before they become bottlenecks.
Customer-facing employees, such as those in customer service and sales can provide valuable insights into customer issues. By interviewing employees and focusing on frequently mentioned issues, you can pinpoint customer pain points impacting your business.
Get to know the pain points of your customers through qualitative market research. Be sure to include open-ended questions in your survey to encourage participants to provide detailed answers.
Monitor social media and trusted review sites to identify customer pain points as they occur. Peer-to-peer review sites, such as Trustpilot, serve as a treasure trove of information for brands, as they contain a vast array of customer experiences.
After understanding pain points, it is essential to promptly and effectively address the woes. This could involve making improvements to product design, enhancing customer service processes, streamlining user experiences, or introducing new features or functionalities that better align with customer expectations.
Advance your customer experience skills with the Google UX Design Professional Certificate on Coursera. The program can help you gain fundamental knowledge in UX research, including planning research studies, conducting usability tests, and synthesizing research findings.
professional certificate
Launch your career in data analytics. Build job-ready skills – and must-have AI skills – for an in-demand career. Earn a credential from Meta in 5 months or less. No degree or prior experience required.
4.7
(619 ratings)
30,181 already enrolled
Beginner level
Average time: 5 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
SQL, Pandas, Generative AI in Data Analytics, Data Analysis, Python Programming, Marketing, Data Management, Data Visualization, Linear Regression, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Spreadsheet, Tableau Software
Statista. “From your experience, what has been the one most common cause of your customer service frustration?, https://www.statista.com/statistics/815599/causes-of-customer-service-frustration-us/.” Accessed August 18, 2023.
Editorial Team
Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.
Whether you're starting your career or trying to advance to the next level, experts at Google are here to help.
Build Agile skills to stay organized and complete projects faster.