The results of the study have determined two key findings in this respect. First, unhandled emotions in the termination process have a negative influence on the attitude towards the company; second, the customer expects first and foremost a fair procedure from the provider. The customer’s expectations can be translated into concrete demands, namely, those which the provider must meet, those which he should meet, and those which he can meet.   

The fulfillment of “Must” demands are regarded as self-evident by the customer within the framework of a termination, else they become so-called knock-out criteria. They include the ­reachability of the provider, the identification of alternatives to the termination – the conversion of the contract relationship in the event of insolvency, for example – and sympathetic understanding of the situation in which the customer finds himself. If the provider does not fulfill these criteria when he terminates a customer, the customer will be strongly dissatisfied when he leaves the company and can harm the company’s image through his negative comments.   

“Should” demands are expected by the customer at a certain level characterized by its personal nature. This means that the more skillfully the provider satisfies the demands, the more satisfied the customer will be and the more likely he is to recommend the company or at least to have a positive attitude towards it. These demands include friendliness and professional competence as well as the ability of the contact personnel to listen to the customer actively.    

If “can” demands are fulfilled, the customer will be delighted or at least be pleasantly surprised because he does not expect this kind of service. In the case of a termination, such demands include discretion and transparency in particular. Interestingly, terminated customers appreciate it greatly, for example, if the provider guarantees that their personal data will not be disclosed to third parties even after the termination. Customers also show an overproportional level of satisfaction when the reasons for the termination are disclosed frankly, i.e., the strict observance of transparency principles. The benefit for the company is an additional image gain as a discreet provider, raising the former customer’s trust in the company.   

Once awareness of the customer’s expectations in a termination has been created, the second stage is the planning of the channel for the termination chosen by the provider. This is a major challenge for the provider, especially with respect to communication, and it demands a suitable communication and termination strategy.