Do unhappy customers complain? The “1 in 26” figure, checked
The claim that only 1 in 26 unhappy customers complains is everywhere. Where it comes from, what holds up, and what to do about the silent majority.
Short answer: the figure is usually credited to the US research firm TARP, and it says that for every unhappy customer who complains, around 25 others say nothing and some of them leave. The original studies are old and hard to trace, so treat the exact number with care. Use your own reports, support conversations and exit feedback to understand how people respond in your product.
Where the number comes from
- It’s attributed to TARP (Technical Assistance Research Programs), a firm that studied complaint behaviour for US companies and government agencies.
- Articles repeat it as “1 complains, 25 stay silent”, often without a date or a link to the original study.
- Ratios like this depend heavily on the industry, the price of the product and how easy complaining is.
Why people don’t complain
| Reason | What reduces it |
|---|---|
| It takes effort | A way to report from the page, in a line |
| They don’t think anyone will listen | Visible replies and fixes |
| They aren’t sure it’s a problem | Inviting small reports: “something felt off?” |
| Switching is easier than explaining | Catching it before they decide to leave |
What to do about the silent majority
- Lower the effort: a Feedback button on the screen where things go wrong.
- Reply to every report, so the people who do speak up see it’s worth it.
- Watch where people stop in analytics, and ask there.
- Check whether the same problem appears in other reports or usage evidence before estimating how many people it affects.
See also: why users don’t report bugs · finding out why customers cancel