Anyone who runs a business knows how to deal with customer complaints. Of course, listening to a complaining buyer is not enjoyable. But a complaining customer is an actual friend of an organization, especially if the company learns a lesson from complaints. A buyer can make complaints about many things such as process failures, rude employees, faulty products, and unclean facilities.
However, these complaints can reveal areas that need improvement if you focus on customers seriously. For instance, suppose a buyer complains about a rude employee. It can make the management aware of a need to give telephone training to those employees.
Small Business Tips for Handling Customer Complaints
When you receive a customer complaint, follow the tips mentioned below to transform issues into opportunities for business growth:
● Listen and Understand
Always listen to the customers carefully. They complain for a reason, so it is crucial to know why they report. Generally, buyers care about quality instead of a fast response. So, take the proper time and listen to them.
Then, try to understand their problem. Finally, use a customer service knowledge guide to maintain the quality.
● Apologize
Never get afraid or feel low for apologizing for a mistake. Some customers look for an apology to acknowledge their registered complaint. Do not ignore how important an apology is.
Moreover, unhappy buyers willingly forgive an organization that apologizes instead of compensating. Many researchers found that saying sorry does not cost much. In fact 45% customers withdrew the negative feedback in light of an apology.
In contrast, 23% buyers took back the negative evaluation in return for compensation.
● Be Prompt to deal with customer complaints
While resolving the complaints, be quick. The faster you fix the issue, the happier buyers will be. So, give customer care executives the flexibility to make judgment calls when required.
Passing the customer from one executive to another can make the situation worse. So, it would be best to avoid it as much as possible. Though you can go the extra mile for complaining customers, don’t make false promises.
● Document the Customer’s Responses
Sometimes customer complaints include opportunities to improve the service or product. Documenting their complaints can help you identify the issues and trends. It can be a defect in a product that you need to address immediately.
It can also be a campaign-specific issue that a marketing department can resolve easily. Whatever the problem is, record all complaints for future reference. Bring these complaints into management’s notice during monthly or annual meetings to tackle the problem
● Follow-Up After Resolving the Complaints
The best way to retain loyal buyers is to follow up once you resolve the problem. It makes them know that the organization appreciates their feedback. So, make them feel special by bonding with customers.
It is best to follow up with buyers offline by engaging through social media. Ask them if they would like to talk via email, phone, or message. Once you resolve the issue, encourage them to give reviews on social media. It can help you with good publicity and attract various new customers.
Bonus tips
Customers are human, so they deserve fair treatment, respect, and dignity. However, if a buyer crosses the line, specifically cursing and threatening you, do not tolerate it. Good communication skills can help to remove or reduce angry emotions.
