Transparency is an overused word. I’m even guilty of using the word—and writing about it. When a company has to explain that they are transparent, while they may be telling customers they are open and honest, there’s another message that may cause the customer to ask, “Why do you have to tell me you’re transparent? Does that mean there’s something you’re telling me that I should be concerned about?”
The use of the word “transparency” may be well-intentioned, but the customer’s interpretation could be a problem. When a company says it’s transparent about how it uses customer information, customers may begin to wonder, “Wait … just how are you using my information?” They aren’t asking out of curiosity. They are asking out of concern.
Customers Don’t Just Want Transparency—They Want Predictability
While transparency is about providing information to the customer, customers are more interested in what to expect. Predictability sets those expectations.
A simple example is when you call a company, and you are placed on hold. You’re told, “Your call is very important to us. We are experiencing heavier than usual call volume. Your call will be answered in the order received.” That’s true and transparent. But it would be better to add predictability by replacing “Your call will be answered in the order received” with “Your call will be answered in seven minutes.” (Even better is to give the customer the option of a call-back, which I’ve covered in other customer service articles.)
Transparency tells customers what’s happening. Predictability takes it to the next level by informing customers about what to expect. That’s what creates and increases confidence.
Transparency Without Predictability Feels Like an Excuse
Don’t confuse transparency with honesty. Even a well-written explanation can feel like an excuse if it doesn’t come with clear outcomes. An explanation without an outcome quickly turns into a trust-eroding excuse.
For example, one of my clients was experiencing a supply chain issue. They were shipping incomplete orders to their customers. They explained this in an email, but what wasn’t explained was how they were going to fulfill the incomplete orders. Customers viewed this transparency as an excuse, and a poor one at that. The result was a lack of trust.
An excuse or explanation by itself, even while being transparent, destroys trust. Customers want to know what happens next. Even bad news is easier to accept when it comes with predictability. When an explanation and predictability work together, trust and confidence increase.
Surprises Destroy Trust Faster Than Mistakes
Trust isn’t broken just because something goes wrong. It’s broken when the expected outcome changes without warning.
For example, you may be expecting your package to be delivered by tomorrow. Instead, it arrives two days later with no notice or explanation. Perhaps the company should have reached out with an explanation. Even though the customer might not be happy with the news, at least they wouldn’t be surprised.
You may be thinking, “Isn’t that explanation what transparency is about?” I don’t want to split hairs, but proactive explanations, while they may appear to be about transparency, are really about predictability.
Transparency explains why something happened. Predictability informs the customer what will happen next. Customers don’t just want honesty. They want certainty.
Final Words
Transparency isn’t just about honesty. Transparent policies written poorly or in the form of “fine print” can make customers skeptical. I’ve been writing a lot about creating trust and confidence lately, and this is where well-written communication and predictability play an important role. Companies that want higher levels of customer confidence should focus less on telling customers they’re transparent and more on removing surprises. Confidence isn’t created by explanations. It’s created by consistency and clear expectations.