appalling service

USAGE SUMMARY

'appalling service' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express dissatisfaction with a service or product, usually when it is below the expected standard. For example: "I received appalling service from the restaurant last night and I have filed a complaint."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

"Appalling service from @waitrose.

The Guardian - Business

"We simply cannot allow this appalling service to continue.

The Guardian

We have received appalling service from AOL/TalkTalk, and would welcome your view.

The Guardian - Money

Over the past few years, though, it has been on the verge of collapse, crippled by ballooning debts, appalling service and ludicrous overemployment.

The Economist

EDreams has failed to provide the flight ticket, ignored my correspondence, given us an appalling service and we have not had a refund.

Independent

Mark Serwotka Dear Mark Your idea is to inflict a day of appalling service and administrative dysfunction in Theresa May's department.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Downing Street concedes that rail passengers are fed up with appalling services as a senior executive warned the network was close to a catastrophic shutdown.

The Guardian

This is appalling customer service, in fact, it is no customer service".

The Guardian

Well, the Haggler has a corollary for consumerland: it's never the manufacturing mistake, it's the utterly appalling customer service that follows the manufacturing mistake.

The New York Times

But it is easyJet that is filling the postbag to consumer champions at both the Guardian and Observer, with readers alleging wrongfully denied compensation and appalling customer service.

The Guardian - Business

If he has any sense, Sir Richard Branson could give his appalling train service a new image by renaming it something long and comforting, such as: The West Country, English Midlands, North-West and Scottish Electrical Traction Company.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "appalling service" when you want to express strong disapproval and shock at the poor quality of service received.

Common error

Avoid using "appalling service" for minor inconveniences. Reserve it for situations where the service is genuinely shocking or significantly below acceptable standards. Using it too often can dilute its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "appalling service" functions as a descriptive phrase, where 'appalling' modifies the noun 'service'. It describes a service that is extremely bad or unacceptable. Ludwig AI affirms its correct and usable nature in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Social Media

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "appalling service" is a grammatically sound and expressive phrase used to convey intense dissatisfaction with a service's quality. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While not the most frequently used phrase, it effectively communicates a strong negative sentiment and is found across various contexts, particularly in news and media, formal business settings, and, occasionally, scientific discourse. When employing this phrase, ensure that the situation genuinely warrants such strong language, reserving it for instances of truly shocking or unacceptable service. Remember to provide specific details to support your assessment and enhance its credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dreadful customer care

Replaces "service" with a more specific term, focusing on the interaction with customers and employing a synonym for "appalling".

terrible assistance

Uses different wording to convey a very negative experience with help or support provided.

awful customer support

Specifically refers to the support aspect of a service, highlighting its poor quality.

atrocious level of support

Emphasizes the exceptionally bad quality of the support offered.

shocking quality of assistance

Highlights the surprising and unacceptable nature of the poor service.

unacceptable assistance

Expresses that the service falls below a reasonable or satisfactory standard.

woeful client support

Indicates a deep sense of sorrow or regret about the inadequacy of the service provided to clients.

abysmal service delivery

Stresses the extreme depth of the failure in providing the service.

deficient service

Simply states that the service is lacking or incomplete in some way.

substandard service

Indicates that the service does not meet the minimum required or expected level of quality.

FAQs

How can I express dissatisfaction with a service?

Besides "appalling service", you could use terms like "dreadful service", "terrible service", or "unacceptable service" depending on the degree of dissatisfaction.

What kind of situations warrant the use of "appalling service"?

"Appalling service" is best used when describing a service that is shockingly bad, significantly below expected standards, and causes considerable distress or inconvenience. Misusing the term can reduce its impact. Save it for when things are truly egregious.

Which is correct: "appalling service" or "appalling services"?

"Appalling service" (singular) generally refers to an overall bad experience with a particular entity. "Appalling services" (plural) can refer to a range of bad services provided. The choice depends on whether you're describing a singular experience or a range of issues.

What's the difference between "appalling service" and "bad service"?

"Appalling service" conveys a much stronger sense of shock and disapproval than "bad service". While "bad service" might refer to something simply below average, "appalling service" suggests a level of incompetence or negligence that is deeply disturbing.