6 Tips for Handling Customer Complaints

 

Let's face it: No one likes to get complaints. In fact, most business owners will do almost anything to avoid them. But mistakes happen, and—believe it or not—a complaint from a customer can actually be blessing in disguise. Follow these six steps to turn complaints into opportunities to grow and improve your business:

1. Act fast. It can be tempting to put off meeting with or returning a phone call or e-mail from a disgruntled customer, but the sooner you respond, the better. If you're deeply committed to your business, it may be easy to assume that a complaint is incorrect or the customer is mistaken. But remember: Most people don't take the time and trouble to complain—they'll share their concerns with neighbors, friends and relatives instead. So if they complain and hear nothing, or get a casual "We'll get to it when we can" response, they'll assume that you don't care and/or don't plan to address the situation. Many customers feel awkward about complaining in the first place, so if their concerns are ignored or minimized, they will remember it and take their business elsewhere.

2. Listen and learn. Give customers who complain an opportunity to talk without being interrupted. Do not make excuses or offer answers until they finish. Show understanding and concern by listening with an open mind, taking notes and asking questions. Break through generalizations to get to the facts. A customer may start his or her complaint by saying that everything was bad, when he or she may have been dissatisfied by only a small part of the experience. Make sure that you understand the circumstances and the customer's perception before determining how to respond. Repeat the facts surrounding the situation and your understanding of their viewpoint back to them ("As I understand the situation, here's what happened.... Is that correct?"). This shows that you understand where they are coming from and want to make them happy.

3. Apologize. A statement like "We understand how this would upset you …" or "We realize how disappointing this must have been …" acknowledges the customer's feelings without necessarily saying that he or she is right. Of course, if your company is at fault, don't hesitate to take full responsibility. And remember that you represent your entire operation, so never blame a department or employee for a mistake or oversight. Whether talking to a customer or responding to a complaint in writing, avoid using a defensive tone. Stay open and friendly, even thanking the customer for calling the issue to your attention. Apologize for any misunderstanding that may have taken place—even if on the part of a customer. Choose your battles wisely. Even if the customer is wrong, do you really want to lose his or her business?

4. Stay cool. No matter how reasonable or polite you are, it won't be enough to calm some angry customers down. Remember that sometimes all people want is a chance to vent their frustration and anger. Never return those emotions or view the complaint as an insult or personal affront. Instead, take a deep breath and let them speak their piece. Resist the urge to raise your voice in a heated conversation or return a nasty e-mail with a sarcastic reply. Try to separate what the person is unhappy about from what they want you to do about it. Don't feel pressured to promise something you can't deliver, but try to put yourself in the customer's shoes to figure out how to resolve the situation. If you need to research what happened or collaborate with others on what to do, let the customer know right away rather than guessing at an answer.

5. Make it right. Often customers don't care why a problem happened—they just want to know what you plan to do about it. Once you've clarified what kind of compensation the customer expects—a refund, an exchange or a discount—do what you say you will do and make sure that it's done right. If customers have trouble communicating exactly what their complaint is and how they want you to solve it, evaluate the pros and cons of several different solutions with them. Apply company policies to the situation and make adjustments when reasonable. If the incident doesn't merit a change in policy, explain calmly and look for another type of consolation to offer the customer. Take care of the matter personally or under your direct supervision. And be sure to give customers a way to contact you with feedback. Any small gesture, such as a gift certificate or a coupon enclosed in an apology letter, helps reiterate how much you value their business.

6. Follow up. Give it some time and if you haven't seen or heard from the customer in a few weeks, follow up. If you sent an apology letter with a gift certificate, for instance, check to see if they have been back to your store and how their experience went. Or if you apologized via e-mail and didn't hear back, touch base to see if there is anything else you can do to ensure that they are happy with your service. While the complaint may have stemmed from a rare, isolated incident, figure out what you can do to keep it from happening again and brainstorm with employees about ways to improve your service to customers.
If you handle it right, a customer complaint can be an opportunity to exceed customer expectations and strengthen their loyalty to you.

source:nfib.com