Here's an uncomfortable truth about websites and apps: people almost never tell you when something is confusing. They don't send an email saying “I couldn't find your prices”. They simply close the tab and try a competitor.
That's why user experience (UX) problems are so expensive. They're invisible unless you go looking for them. In our UX audits, the same handful of issues come up again and again, across industries. Here are nine of the most common, and how to fix each one.
1. The headline doesn't say what you do
“Innovating tomorrow, today.” “Your trusted partner in excellence.” Headlines like these sound polished but tell visitors nothing. You have a few seconds to answer three questions: what is this, is it for me, and what should I do next?
The fix: write a headline a stranger would understand instantly. “Accounting software for small manufacturers” beats any slogan. Put the clever line underneath if you love it.
2. Too many choices at once
When a page offers ten buttons, five menus and three pop-ups, people freeze. Every extra option makes the main action harder to see.
The fix: decide what the single most important action is on each page and make it obvious. Secondary actions can exist, but they should look secondary.
3. Forms that ask for everything
Every field you add to a form is another reason to abandon it. We regularly see contact forms asking for company size, job title, budget, address and how you heard about them, before a single conversation has happened.
The fix: ask only what you genuinely need to respond. Name, contact details and a message are often enough. You can gather the rest on the first call.
4. Hidden or vague pricing
Not every business can publish fixed prices, and that's fine. But giving no indication at all makes many buyers assume you're expensive, or that you're hiding something.
The fix: share what you can. Starting prices, typical project ranges, what affects cost, or example packages all build trust and help people self-qualify before they contact you.
5. Slow pages on real phones
Your website might feel fast on office Wi-Fi and a new laptop. Your customers are often on mobile data, using a mid-range phone, while doing something else. Every second of waiting costs you visitors.
The fix: test on real devices and networks. Compress images, remove unused scripts and plugins, and prioritise loading what people see first.
6. Navigation that reflects your org chart
Menus often mirror how the company thinks about itself (departments, internal product names, jargon) rather than how customers think. Visitors don't know what your “Solutions Suite” contains.
The fix: label navigation using the words your customers use. If you're not sure what those are, look at your support emails and search queries.
7. No proof that you're trustworthy
Before buying or enquiring, people look for reassurance: real reviews, recognisable clients, case studies, team photos, a physical address, clear policies. When these are missing or buried, hesitation wins.
The fix: place proof near decision points. Put a short testimonial beside the contact form, a guarantee next to the checkout button, and a case study link on each service page.
8. Error messages that blame the user
“Invalid input.” “Error 422.” “Something went wrong.” Unhelpful messages turn a small mistake into a dead end.
The fix: explain what happened and how to fix it, in plain language, right next to the problem. “Phone numbers need 11 digits, so it looks like one is missing” keeps people moving.
9. Designing for yourself instead of your users
This is the root of most of the problems above. Teams know their product so well that they can't see it the way a newcomer does. Things that feel obvious internally are confusing to everyone else.
The fix: watch real people use your website or app. Five short sessions with people who match your customers will reveal most of the big issues. You don't need a lab, just a screen share and the discipline to stay quiet while they struggle.
How to find your own UX problems
- 1Look at your analytics: which pages have high exit rates, and where do people drop out of key journeys?
- 2Use session recordings or heatmaps to see where people click, hesitate or rage-click.
- 3Read your support messages: repeated questions often point to missing or unclear content.
- 4Run five quick usability tests with people who've never seen your product.
- 5Fix the biggest problems first, then measure again.
“Good UX isn't about making things pretty. It's about removing every small reason a customer might have to give up.”
Small fixes, big difference
Most of these problems don't need a full redesign. A clearer headline, a shorter form or a better error message can be fixed in days, and the effect on enquiries and sales is often noticeable within weeks.
If you'd like a fresh pair of eyes on your website or app, we offer focused UX audits that rank issues by impact, so you know exactly what to fix first.
How we can help
UI/UX Design
Research-led interfaces that make products easy to use.