Tip #446: 5 Easy Steps To Resolving A Customer's Complaint

Can you recall a time when you had an issue with a business that didn't handle it appropriately?  Of course you can.  

And as you recall that experience, think about how you felt.  Now look at your own company.  Can you walk through the process of how the top 10 customer's complaints are handled?  

A Customer Complaint Is An Opportunity.

 A dissatisfied customer presents you with the opportunity to change the customer's mind based on the way you handle the complaint. This is especially essential in the age of social media, when a customer will publicly post about a positive or negative interaction on websites such as Facebook and Twitter. If other prospective consumers can observe the way you professionally handle issues, they will be more likely to patronize your business as well.

 Depending on how many family members, friends and coworkers a customer is connected to on Facebook, a positive or negative remark or interaction with your company could be seen by thousands.

 How To Resolve A Customer's Complaint In 5 Easy Steps.

 As a business leader, there is a good chance that you want to handle a customer's complaint quickly, logically and effectively.

Step #1: Listen To The Customer - Understand that the customer will want to describe their negative feelings and express the frustration and inconvenience that they feel as a result of their disappointment in your product or service.  Your job is to listen to the customer and consider ways you could improve their experience this time and in the future.

Step #2: Repeat The Concern - As with all business interactions, effective communication is essential when handling a customer complaint. To ensure that you understand the customer's issue, repeat the concern and ask the customer to confirm that you understand them.

Step #3: Express Empathy - While the customer expresses a complaint to you to in hopes of finding a direct solution, they also want validation and understanding. As you listen and respond to the complaint, retain a sense of empathy for the consumer's negative experience.

Step #4: Provide A Possible Solution - Once you are sure that you understand a customer's issue, provide a possible solution that will make the customer feel better about the interaction. This could include a complimentary future service or a refund - both of which should pay off in the long run as you retain a loyal customer. Additionally, you might want to ask a customer what they would like for a possible solution. 

Step #5: Personalize The Experience - Instead of simply sending a form letter and a gift card to a customer who has complained, personalize it. Once again, reiterate the initial concern and use the customer's name. Most of all, do not forget to actually apologize for the negative experience and let the customer know what steps you have taken to ensure that it will not happen again.

Executive Summary: While complaints have the potential to create difficulty for your company, it is always in your advantage to handle them directly and to make sure each complaining customer feels understood. Once you are done handling a complaint, make sure to examine the underlying cause of it - this will prevent the same mistake from happening in the future.

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