Unsatisfied customers are a bad news to any business. In
fact, it only takes one unhappy customer to ruin a perfect day at work for
everyone, and to steer away many potential customers from your company. Thus,
it is very important for business people to pay attention to what their
customers need, particularly the angry ones.
Whatever their reason is for being unhappy, they are still
your guests and are potentially the ones you will do business with in the
future. Thus, you should want to make them happy once again. While your
customers are not always right, they will always be who you want and who you
need. In short, you should be on top of your customer complaints, and find a
way to turn them to your advantage.
Below you will see the different ways by which you may
resolve customer complaints. It is important that you not let time lapse.
You’ve got to approach the customer as soon as they express dissatisfaction.
1. Listen to your
customer intently. You’ve got to listen to your customer and avoid
interrupting them. It’s important for them to have someone who would listen to
what they have to say.
2. Don’t forget to
thank them. Be sure to thank the customer for letting you know about their
problem. Knowing what’s wrong with your products or services is essential for
the growth of your business. You also cannot resolve an issue if you’re not
even aware of it.
3. Apologize sincerely.
Make the customer feel how apologetic you are for how the situation has
affected them or made them feel. There is no room for making excuses or
justifying things – all you need to do is apologize.
4. Find the best
solution. Figure out what the customer wants as a solution. You may be
surprised with how simple their request may be, especially when they feel how
sincere you are in admitting your mistakes and apologizing for the situation.
5. Come to an
agreement. Your goal now is to reach some sort of an agreement with the
unhappy customer. The solution should be one that will satisfy them. No matter
how sincere you are, this will be of no use unless you can give what the
customer wants.
6. Act on the solution
quickly. Once you have determined what solution will be good enough, take
action immediately. Customers will always appreciate your effort to respond
immediately to your needs.
7. Don’t forget to
follow up. The only way you can ensure the customer is satisfied is when
you follow up.
In business, problems are inevitable, and customers will
always have a reason to be unhappy. By joining a business coaching program, you will realize that what really
matters is that you acknowledge them with honesty and do your best to give them
what they need. This is the best you can do so they won’t stop doing business
with you.
