We usually talk about customer service specialists, salespeople, couriers or any other service providers only when we have something to complain about. As long as everything runs smoothly, the service provider remains almost invisible to us. But the moment even the smallest mistake occurs, the silence breaks: we write complaints, share our dissatisfaction on social media and demand accountability. Asta Raudonienė, CMO at Venipak, shares her thoughts on this topic.
Why are our brains wired to ignore the positive and focus on mistakes? And how can businesses survive in an era where purchasing decisions are increasingly shaped by public reviews?
The psychological paradox: why do bad experiences stay with us longer?
Our brains have evolved to react more strongly to negative experiences than to positive ones, which is why negative emotions leave a much deeper imprint. When customers receive excellent service, they tend to accept it as the expected standard and quickly forget it. However, even the slightest mismatch between expectations and reality can cause stress, which people often feel the need to express publicly.
This is especially visible in the logistics sector. If a parcel is delayed or goes missing, recipients are quick to complain. But when a delivery goes smoothly, the courier very rarely receives a thank you or a positive review. For a long time, silence in our industry was considered the best possible assessment: if the customer does not complain, everything must be fine. Yet in today’s digital world, this kind of silence is becoming risky for businesses, as potential buyers are increasingly making decisions based on public reviews.
This imbalance also creates a distorted picture of service quality. One negative comment in the public space can outweigh dozens of successful experiences, because poor feedback often appears more “real” and objective in the eyes of customers.
When consumers notice only deviations from the norm but ignore the daily effort that goes into providing a flawless service, it is not only the company’s image that suffers in the long run. It also demotivates the entire chain, from managers to employees who interact with customers directly, because their efforts remain invisible until something goes wrong.
Positive reviews strengthen reputation and improve service quality
Management psychology confirms a simple truth: criticism makes people defensive, while recognition motivates them to try harder. When employees constantly hear only what they did wrong, they begin to work “safely”, focusing on avoiding mistakes rather than exceeding expectations. By contrast, positive feedback creates psychological safety, which is essential for building a strong service culture.
Positive recognition acts as emotional fuel. It encourages employees not only to perform a function, but to take personal care of the customer.
This “circle of positivity” benefits the entire business ecosystem: a happy employee creates a better customer experience, while a satisfied customer becomes a loyal brand ambassador. Even a simple “thank you” can be a stronger source of motivation than complex control systems, because it gives work a sense of meaning.
How can businesses encourage positive feedback?
A good review rarely appears on its own. A business needs to create the right environment and emotional impulse for it to happen. One of the most effective ways to do this is by humanising the service, because it is much easier for a customer to thank a specific person than an anonymous system or brand.
Personalisation is key to customer empathy, and one way to achieve it is to move away from the anonymity of the service provider. For example, our couriers now introduce themselves to customers by name. It is a small change, but it fundamentally shifts the tone of communication. When Jonas or Tomas is standing at the door, the customer naturally becomes more understanding and attentive.
It is important not only to personalise the connection, but also to give customers a simple and intuitive tool for expressing a positive experience. Since the human brain is naturally more inclined to quietly “archive” a good experience, businesses need to actively remind customers about the opportunity to say thank you. Any step that requires additional effort can discourage the customer.
To generate a stronger flow of positive reviews, businesses need to create a convenient and easily accessible space where leaving feedback takes only a few seconds. This could be a timely message sent immediately after the service has been provided, a direct link to a rating system, or even a personal request for feedback from the service provider. People are not naturally inclined to make extra effort on their own, so the path to leaving feedback must be made as short as possible.
