Missed Cues

Last year, we lost a high-paying client, one of the rare instances of churn in an otherwise sticky business.

Their feedback was clear: “We need more value for what we’re paying.”

But instead of truly listening, we rationalized.

“We’re best-in-class.”

“They don’t get the full picture.”

“This ask is out of scope.”

So we nodded, logged the comments… and moved on.

Until one day, they moved on too.

Looking back, this wasn’t about price. It was about partnership.

They wanted to know we were invested in evolving with them.

And we missed the cue.

Customer complaints, whatever they may be about —price, value, benefits, or service —aren’t annoyances to manage.

They are early warning signals, often pointing to blind spots in our value delivery.

The lesson?

Don’t filter feedback to fit your story.

Don’t delegate discomfort.

Pick up the phone. Ask the hard questions.

And when a client says, “This isn’t enough,” treat it like a gift.

Because that discomfort? It’s what tells us where and what the blind spots are so that we can fix and improve.