Complaints are, as Martha Stewart would say, “ a good thing,” even though it certainly doesn’t feel good to hear them. A 2009 study by British research firm BDO Stoy Hayward revealed that due to current economic conditions, customers are more sensitive than ever to service issues, even “hypersensitive.” Seventy-four percent will leave without buying anything if they perceive poor customer service. Your complainer is actually a gift, telling you about something that in all likelihood is affecting your other customers. When customers take the time to complain, it means they care enough to do so.
Though it can be uncomfortable to be on the receiving end of an angry tirade, it can give you some useful information. The key to getting value out of a complaint is to not take it personally. The customer is angry with the company, not with you personally. And even if it’s you she’s complaining about, it’s helpful to understand the customer’s perception.
When you receive a complaint:
Thank the customer for complaining. “Thank you so much for telling me what happened. Please tell me more. I want to be sure to understand what went wrong.”
Follow up with the customer. Document the complaint and figure out what can be done to change procedures or policies so that others won’t experience the same problem. Then call the complaining customer and tell them what your company has decided to do to make the situation less likely to occur in the future.
Have service recovery tools and know how to use them. When things go wrong, what customers most want is a genuine apology and someone to listen to them. Ask, “What can we do to set this right for you?” Often the customer simply wants to feel like he’s being treated fairly.
Add a “litte extra” like a gas card or a restaurant gift certificate to compensate for any inconvenience. It’s a tangible way to express your appreciation for sticking with you, even when things aren’t completely perfect. Offer the gift saying, “I’m so sorry this happened. It isn’t how we usually do things around here. Please accept this as a token of our apology.”
Skillfully managing a complaint gives you the chance to show the customer who you are – a problem-solving service professional who cares. It’s often after a complaint is handled brilliantly that customers become raving fans. Knowing this, you can see the potential of a happy patron at the onset of a customer meltdown.
What do you think? Can you think of a time recently when you managed a customer complaint? What could you have done to turn that complaint into a gift?
written by Lori Jo Vest and Marilyn Suttle on www.whosyourgladys.com/blog
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