• Design
• Android
• iOS

How to spot the signs of poor UX that’s driving away your customers

If your app is causing similar frustrations for your users, they’re unlikely to stick around—and that could spell trouble for your business. Poor user experience (UX) can silently drive customers away, leading to missed opportunities and lower revenue.

How can you tell if UX is a problem for your app? Let’s explore the most common signs of poor UX, and how User Research can help you identify and fix these issues before they harm your business further.

Common signs of UX issues

 

🛑 High app churn rate

The churn rate refers to the percentage of users who stop using your app after a certain period of time. If your churn rate is high, it suggests that users are quickly losing interest or becoming frustrated with your app, often leading to uninstalls.

In the world of mobile apps, a high churn rate could be caused by:

• Slow load times or laggy performance.

• Poor onboarding experiences that fail to engage users from the start.

• A lack of compelling value or features that meet user expectations.

What to check: Use analytics tools like Firebase to track your app’s churn rate over time and understand when and why users are leaving your app. Identifying patterns in churn rates can help you determine what changes or improvements are needed to keep users engaged.

👥 Low user retention

User retention measures how often users come back to your app after their first experience. If you’re seeing a drop-off in users returning to your app, it’s an indication that your app isn’t providing enough value or isn’t engaging enough to keep users coming back.

Low retention can result from:

• A confusing interface that makes users feel lost or frustrated.

• Lack of frequent updates or fresh content leads to users losing interest.

• An app that doesn’t provide solutions to their evolving needs.

What to check: Monitor your app’s retention metrics, such as daily or monthly active users. These metrics will give you a clearer picture of how many users continue using your app over time and whether your app is consistently adding value to them.

📉 Low engagement metrics

If users aren’t interacting with your product, it’s a sign that something isn’t clicking. Metrics like session duration, time spent on key features, and click-through rates can help you gauge engagement.

Low engagement could mean:

• Users can’t figure out how to use your product.

• The content or features aren’t relevant to their needs.

• The design is visually unappealing or overwhelming.

What to check: Heatmaps and session recordings can provide deeper insight into user behaviour and pinpoint where they lose interest.

📢 Poor reviews or feedback

Negative reviews on app stores, social media, or directly from customer service channels often point to UX issues. Common complaints might include:

• “The app is confusing to use.”

• “I can’t find the feature I need.”

• “It takes ages to complete a simple task.”

These comments are goldmines of information about what isn’t working, but they’re also warnings that users are frustrated enough to voice their complaints publicly.

What to check: Regularly review user feedback across all channels and categorise complaints to find recurring themes.

💬 High support request volumes

If your customer support team is overwhelmed with questions like “How do I…?” or complaints about usability, that’s a strong indicator your UX needs work. Good UX should make tasks intuitive enough that users rarely need extra help.

What to check: Audit support tickets and live chat logs to uncover patterns and pain points.

Why User Research is the solution

Now that you know the signs of poor UX, how do you address them? The first step is understanding the root cause of these issues. That’s where User Research comes in.

User Research isn’t just about collecting opinions—it’s about digging deep into user behaviour, needs, and frustrations to uncover actionable insights. Let’s explore how it works. 

Identifying pain points

User Research methods like usability testing and user interviews help you see your product through your users’ eyes. By observing real users as they interact with your product, you can pinpoint:

• Features that confuse them.

• Workflows that feel clunky or unintuitive.

• Tasks that take too long to complete.

Understanding user needs

What do your users actually want from your product? Surveys and user interviews can help you understand:

• Their goals and priorities.

• The problems they’re trying to solve.

• How your product fits into their daily lives.

When you align your product with user needs, you create an experience that feels effortless and satisfying.

Testing solutions before launch

Once you’ve identified the issues, User Research can also help you validate potential solutions and ensure that the changes you make actually address user pain points.

This step minimises risk, saving you time and money by catching issues before full-scale development.

Real-life benefits of fixing UX

Investing in UX improvements pays off in tangible ways:

• Increased retention: Happy users stick around longer, reducing churn.

• Higher conversions: A smoother experience means more sign-ups, purchases, and completed actions.

• Better brand reputation: Satisfied users are more likely to recommend your product and leave positive reviews.

For example, conducting user testing during the design phase can see a decrease in development costs because it allows you to fix issues before coding begins. You can also see higher user satisfaction rates and improved business metrics like revenue and customer lifetime value.

Where to start improving if you spot signs of poor UX

If you’ve noticed any of the signs of poor UX we’ve discussed, it’s time to take action. Start by asking these questions:

• What are my users’ biggest frustrations?

• Which parts of the product generate the most support requests or complaints?

• Are there clear drop-off points in my user journey?

From there, consider partnering with a team that specialises in User Research and UX design (like us!). We’ll work with you to uncover the insights you need and create a roadmap for meaningful improvements.

Final thoughts

Your app can often be the first impression users have of your business. If the experience is frustrating, confusing, or slow, they may never come back.

The good news? Poor UX is fixable. By recognising the signs early and leveraging User Research, you can create a product that not only meets but exceeds user expectations—keeping your customers happy and your business growing.

Click here to read more about UX Design at Brightec.