How to Lose a Customer in 10 Days – Step-by-step Guide by Clutch
It all started when Clutch, with its automated email campaigns, decided to target users like me—people who hadn’t yet signed up for their paid services. The timing couldn’t have been better. My company, Katico, was already exploring ways to increase our visibility and grow our client base, so when Clutch’s salesperson reached out, I was open to hearing more.
We had a great conversation. I was upfront about our company’s structure, mentioning that we are registered in the US, we pay taxes there, and our clients are also based in the US—but our team is located in Europe. The salesperson assured me that this wouldn’t be an issue. He walked me through some options, and we eventually agreed on the Top US IT Managed Services Companies listing, securing a #4 spot. Everything seemed perfect. I thought, “This is exactly what we need.”
But little did I know, this was just the beginning of a very frustrating experience.
Step 1: The Smooth Sale – But Are You Eligible for the Service?
The salesperson did their job well—everything seemed smooth, and I was excited to see our company on the Top US IT Managed Services Companies list. We signed the agreement, made our first payment, and everything felt like it was moving in the right direction.
What I didn’t know then was that Clutch had not properly assessed whether my company was eligible for the service they sold me. They didn’t explain to me that being physically present in the US was a requirement for being listed, and they didn’t mention this when we signed up. So, even though we were paying for a service, it turned out we weren’t actually eligible for it.
Step 2: Onboarding – A Major Missed Opportunity for Communication
After signing up, I was handed off to an onboarding specialist. When our first meeting happened in September, I expected to get more specific guidance on how to make the most out of Clutch’s platform. But instead, I was asked the same questions I had already answered with the salesperson:
“What does your company do?”
I was frustrated. Isn’t there some communication between teams? Didn’t the salesperson leave notes or records about our company to avoid wasting time? I thought this was basic customer service.
But it wasn’t. The onboarding specialist gave me generic advice like “You need more reviews” and “You need more text.” When I asked for specific examples or actionable steps to improve our profile, she just started searching Clutch’s website in real-time—on the call with me. No actionable insights, no real help.
Step 3: The Address Issue – No One Cared to Tell Me How Important It Was
In October, I noticed something troubling—our US address wasn’t marked as our headquarters. When I asked the onboarding specialist about it, she simply sent me a link to validate the address, but didn’t explain why this was critical to getting the services I was paying for.
Her response was: “I don’t know much about this; it’s handled by another team.”
I thought, “Okay, I’ll just deal with this later.” But she didn’t inform me that not validating the address would prevent us from being listed on the US IT Managed Services page—which was the very service I was paying for.
In the end, because I didn’t know how important address validation was, I left it unresolved, and nothing happened. I was essentially paying for a service I wasn’t receiving.
Step 4: The Account Manager – More of the Same
Fast forward to December, and I was transferred to an account manager. I was hopeful that this would be the person who would finally help me resolve everything.
But no—this person asked me all the same questions again, just like the onboarding specialist did. “What does your company do?”
I spent a solid 15 minutes giving feedback and expressing how frustrating this was. I had been a paying customer for three months, and no one seemed to communicate between departments.
She then gave me the same generic advice: “You need more reviews” and “You need more text.” I was exhausted at this point.
But then, I asked her about our performance numbers, thinking at least I’d get something valuable out of this call. That’s when she casually mentioned that we weren’t even listed on the page we had been paying for.
Why?
Because our address wasn’t validated.
I was shocked. How was this not mentioned before? After three months, I was only learning about this issue when I had asked about our performance.
Step 5: The Refund Request – A Simple Decision, Right?
When I asked the account manager about a replacement for the service I couldn’t access, she explained that since I couldn’t be listed on the US IT Managed Services Companies page, the only option available to me was keywords.
I then asked, “Will this replacement service offer the same value?” She confirmed it wouldn’t.
At that point, I decided to request a refund for the months I hadn’t received my service and asked to terminate the agreement.
Surprisingly, she agreed quickly. It felt like the matter was resolved, but it wasn’t.
Bonus Step: The Automated Lead Emails – A Frustrating Mix-Up
In addition to all the inconvenience and frustrations, in October, I started receiving automated emails from a salesperson, targeting me as if I were a lead, even though I was already a paying customer.
I ignored the first two emails, but by the third one, which included a Star Wars gif, it reminded me of the earlier ones. When I checked the email sequence, I got frustrated—how could I still be receiving these as a customer?
I reached out to my onboarding specialist, but after a couple of vague responses, the emails continued. The same email campaign, sent by the same salesperson, started up again in December, while I was still trying to resolve my issue with Clutch.
Even after forwarding the emails to sales, onboarding, and account management, I got no clear explanation, and the emails only stopped once the campaign ended.
Once again, the lack of communication between teams was glaringly obvious.
Step 6: The Refund Disaster – Duplicate Charges and Dismissive Response
Things got even worse when, on December 24th, I received three emails notifying me of refund transactions. But when I checked my bank account on December 26th, I saw six transactions, not three.
After digging deeper, I discovered that Clutch had first charged me three times on 12/24, but postponed the charges until 01/01/2025, which meant I didn’t immediately see the charges. Then, they issued a refund on 12/24, followed by another refund on 12/26.
It was only when the charges settled on January 1st, that I noticed Clutch had essentially returned the extra three transactions. Clutch claimed they only saw three transactions on their end, but this entire process felt sketchy to me.
I don’t know if it was a mistake or an attempt at revenue manipulation, but I never got a satisfactory explanation. When I reached out to Clutch, the response was dismissive—my account manager simply claimed the refund had been issued and that no further charges had been applied.
They suggested that my bank might be taking a while to process the transaction, but it wasn’t the case, the situation didn’t add up. Clutch had never clearly explained the reason behind the multiple charges and refunds, leaving me frustrated and feeling like they were trying to brush off the issue.
Conclusion: A Customer Experience Gone Wrong
In the end, what should have been a straightforward process turned into a frustrating and confusing experience, filled with miscommunication, unexplained charges, and unresolved issues.
Clutch’s inability to deliver the service I was paying for—not to mention their lack of internal communication and dismissive responses—made it impossible for me to continue working with them. It’s clear that they don’t prioritize transparency, accountability, or genuine customer service.
If you’re a business that values your clients and wants to foster long-term relationships, take note of what went wrong here. Clear communication, a focus on delivering what was promised, and a willingness to admit mistakes are the foundational principles that should guide any company, especially one that is dealing with customer subscriptions and services.
Unfortunately, Clutch’s failure to adhere to these basic principles cost them my business—and probably more like mine in the future.