“One of the clearest signs of a bad or declining relationship with the customer is the absence of complaints. Nobody was satisfied, especially for an extended period of time. The customer is or is not sincere, or is not being contacted.” – Theodore Levitt
We tend to not like them very much. They make our lives miserable.
In this interactive age we are accustomed to speak intelligently, wisenheimers. Log into Twitter and you see it repeatedly. Read reviews on almost every blog, and you see it. The world is full of sarcasm. It is also full of disgruntled complainers. But I’m not talking about people who always complain. I’m talking about people who have an honest complaint. The real issue that needs is a solution.
The reality is strange, customers complain because they are among the most loyal customers and sincere. They complain because they care. They care about your business and services from it. They plan on how to do business with you. That is why we speak.
Noisy people are not necessarily those who bring value to your complaint. And, truth be told, these people constitute a very small percentage of all claimants. Just put them aside for now because we are not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about people who have a complaint, which can be resolved and the resolution can not only make them happy, but you can make your business more successful.
Here are some basic guidelines to help you properly engage the customer with an honest complaint. By the way, takes all complaints are honest and treat you that way. It’s the only way to behave.
- Say you’re sorry. Without hesitation, just fess up and say you’re sorry. Do not flatter. Do not do it anymore.
- Determine to correct the problem, sooner or later. Time is of the essence. Make sure the customer knows that you will not delay in fixing the problem.
- Empathy with the client. As they tell their story, listen carefully. Take notes. Do not cut them. You should let them be heard. Many customers complain enough to know that someone listened to them. And you do not make them repeat their story to everyone and their dog. You deal with it. Take notes if necessary. Gather all the necessary elements in the first contact, if possible.
- Reply. Ensure the customer you will deal with your problem. Make sure you get a phone number and good time to contact them back if you need more time to research things. Let them know you do. Make them aware of what will happen, even if you do not know. Be honest. Ask them if it would be good to call them back in an hour after you’ve had time to go work for them. Do not put them off, but they know that you want to go work for them.
- Call the customer back with the solution (and do it fast). I’ll give you a hint: not presuppose that will make the customer happy. Your first call should have discovered that the customer wants. Typically, they say. If not, ask! When you make your next contact, give them a solution that makes them happy. If you can pleasantly surprise them, do it. Be quick about it. Do not keep them waiting.
- Implement solutions in their businesses, which prevent this from happening again. Take the complaint seriously enough to use it in your business.
- Thank the customer to help you become better. Show sincere gratitude. Invite them to contact you again if you need something. Make a strong connection with them.
- Make complaints handling their top priority because it is among their very best loyalty programs. A customer with a complaint is easily their most loyal customers, once you’ve made them happy. They are your biggest fans and they will tell everyone they know. There is nothing better than that.
