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How To Handle Customer Complaints
Author: Alyice Edrich
Since customer satisfaction is key to building customer loyalty and repeat sales, it’s important for you to make sure your customers not only feel but believe that their complaints are being taken seriously. When they feel as though you respect them, regardless of how petty their complaints may or may not be, they’re more apt to return to do business with you again and to praise your company instead of dragging it through the mud.
With that in mind, here are a few tips to you handle customer complaints in a productive and non-offending way.
For Online Businesses
When a customer emails you with a customer service issue or a product complaint, follow these steps towards resolving the issue:
Take a step back to calm down
If the complaint is done via email, and it's a bit harsh, let the initial shock sink in as you read the email, then step away from the computer, take a deep breath, and calm your nerves.
As you walk away from the computer, tell yourself, “Okay, there’s a problem here that needs to be addressed, but first I am going to step away from the computer for ten minutes and let the problem sink in without harping on the harshness of the email. Then I’ll come back and look at it again, from an objective point of view.”Try to understand the problem
Once you've calmed down, go back to the email and re-read it again. Then ask yourself what the problem really is.
Is the product defective? Did the service offered not live up to your promises? Did the customer misunderstand what he/she was purchasing?Find a solution
Once you have a better understanding of what the problem is, ask yourself how you can resolve the issue.
What would satisfy the customer without hurting your pocket-book or the company’s reputation?Address the problem
Write your thoughts down in a word document, check for grammar and spelling, then let it sit there for at least ten minutes, preferably 30, before you place it in an email and send it to the customer, or pick up the phone to call the customer.
While you're waiting, move onto other tasks. This will give your mind a chance to think on the issue at hand, to make sure you've offered the best solution possible.Read your response
After you’ve give your response a cooling off period go back to the email and ask yourself, “How does it sound? Am I short-tempered with my words or was I apologetic? Did I offer a reasonable solution to the problem?”
If you’re not sure, ask a business associate or friend to read it over for you.Contact the customer
Once you feel the email is ready to be sent, send it out.Follow up with the customer
Give the customer a day or two to read over your email and respond.
If your customer has not replied within a week's time, give him a call and let him know that his satisfaction is very important to you.
For Storefront Businesses
When a customer comes into the store with a customer service issue or a product complaint, follow these steps towards resolving the issue:
Keep eye contact
When a customer comes in with a complaint, always keep eye contact and nod from time to time—as if to say, “I hear you.” It’s important that your customer knows you are actually listening to his concerns.Apologize
Once the customer finishes telling you about his problem, apologize—even if you did nothing wrong. Apologizing for the inconvenience the customer feels lets your customer know you care and want to make him happy.Offer a resolution
Resolve the problem as soon as possible.- Can you handle the situation on the spot?
- Can you offer a refund?
- Can you offer a replacement item?
- Can you offer a partial refund (or store credit) if the item cannot be returned?
Request time to look into the matter
No immediate resolution in sight? Investigate a solution.
Ask for the customer’s home and work phone number, first and last name, and best time to contact him. Let the customer know you will investigate the problem and get back to him within 24 hours. If you need more time, call the customer within that first 24 hours to let him know what you’re doing to resolve the situation.
Finally, notice patterns in customer complaints.
If you constantly receive the same complaint from several of your customers, it’s time to re-evaluate the way you do things. By listening to repeat customer complaints, you can solve a problem that is ultimately costing you hundreds of dollars in sales thus increasing your business profits and ending repeat complaints for the same problem!
The time, effort, and cost put into servicing repeat customers is minimal in comparison to the cost of finding new customers so take the time to listen to their complaints and then offer reasonable solutions for both parties.
In the end it’s your customers who can make or break your business so treat them well.
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