By Nicolas Avila · October 9, 2026

Peak-time customer service: mistakes that become public complaints

Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia

Public complaints almost never begin with the problem. They begin with what the store did afterward. Late packages, wrong orders, and missing payments are resolved quietly every day. They become Instagram posts, Reclame Aqui reviews, and Procon complaints when customers feel nobody is paying attention. The six mistakes below create that feeling.

During Black Friday week, with far more messages and the same two- or three-person team, each becomes easier to make.

What are the six mistakes?

1. Silence. A message goes unanswered for an entire day. Customers do not know whether it was read. They send another, then another, then go to Instagram. Fix: an immediate automatic reply with a real response timeframe (“we reply within 4 business hours”) and meeting it.

2. Generic replies. “We’re checking, please wait.” It says neither what was checked nor when you return. Fix: every reply has a fact and date. “Your order shipped yesterday, code X, expected December 3.”

3. Promises without dates. “It will arrive soon,” “we’ll resolve it.” Fix: replace with a date or “I’ll write by Thursday with the answer.” If you do not know, say so and when you will know.

4. Bouncing between channels. Customers write on Instagram and hear “send it on WhatsApp”; on WhatsApp, “email your order number.” Fix: whoever receives it resolves it or forwards internally. Customers do not change channels.

5. Defensive tone. “This isn’t our fault, it’s Correios’.” It may be true, but customers hear the store washing its hands. Fix: “the package is stalled at Correios, and I’m handling this for you.” The late-shipping guide has the script.

6. Asking customers to do the work. “Go to the post office,” “file a complaint there,” “send the photo again.” Fix: one confirmation question at most; the store does the rest.

Why do public complaints happen during peaks?

Because the gap between question and answer grows, and customers interpret silence as indifference. A response in 20 minutes saying “I don’t know yet; I’ll tell you at 4 p.m.” prevents more complaints than a complete answer six hours later.

The second reason is an unordered queue. The loudest customers are served first, while polite ones wait longer. Simple fix: serve in arrival order and flag real problems (loss, damage, duplicate payment) for priority within the queue.

What must the automatic reply say?

That the message arrived, how long a person takes to reply, and where customers can solve what they can themselves. “We received your message. This week we reply within 4 hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For your order’s delivery time, tracking is at the link sent after shipping.”

Automation can go further: answering tracking questions with current status without a person, and calling someone only for complaints. Order details are shared only if the asking number matches the order or the person confirms a code; otherwise, the conversation goes to staff. An artificial intelligence agent on WhatsApp shows where this is worthwhile and where it is not yet.

What if the public complaint already happened?

Reply publicly in the same place, briefly, without justifying yourself: “Hi, Paula. You’re right, we were slow. I’ve contacted you privately with the solution.” Resolve it privately the same day. People reading the complaint read the reply too; what remains is a store that acknowledged and resolved it. Do not delete, argue, or ask the customer to delete it.

What to do now

Read your store’s last 20 outgoing messages and mark those falling into the six mistakes. Adjust the automatic reply today with a real timeframe. To find where to start organizing service before the next peak, the assessment is the beginning: describe your business and we will reply: avilaops.com/jornada or contact us on WhatsApp: wa.me/5517997811471.

Frequently asked questions

What response time is acceptable on Black Friday?

What you promise in the automatic reply and deliver. Four business hours is a timeframe small stores can maintain at peak. Promising one and taking five is worse than promising four and taking three.

Should I answer complaints on Reclame Aqui?

Yes, always, briefly and with a solution. People deciding whether to buy read the public reply. Silence there costs more than the complaint.

Is hiring temporary Black Friday customer service help worthwhile?

Only if they start a week earlier and receive a written script. Someone without context during peak creates mistakes 2 and 4. Automating tracking and repeated questions usually delivers more.