At some point in every business, whether it is insurance or a small toy shop, you will eventually have to deal with an upset customer. It is up to you to handle the situation properly so the customer thinks that you are very qualified and that mistakes happen. Customer satisfaction is what keeps your clients loyal. Not only will dealing with customer complaints keep them loyal, but could even turn them into potential active promoters for your business. Keep reading on how to deal with customer complaints.
Listen to the customer and repeat back to them what their complaint is. A simple recognition that you are hearing them is the first major step. Ask questions and gather the most information as possible, and the better you will be able to understand their perspective. Empathize with their situation.
Give a simple apology and take responsibility to diffuse the situation. Customer complaints should be taken very seriously, and they could affect your sales.
Ask the customer what they hope the solution to be. Become partners and work through the problem together. Solve the problem instantaneously if you can, and if not than as quick as possible.
The problem with customer complaints is that it doesn’t happen often. This means that another customer may have had the same problem and didn’t say anything, resulting in losing clientele. In order to prevent people from not complaining and moving to another business, set up a customer-feedback program. Provide a questionnaire for clients and measure their feedback to keep clients happy. Hone in on specific issues and focus on what matters most.
You can find many places that allow you to send out surveys for free to start gathering information. Surveymonkey.com provides a customer satisfaction template you can use to start with your research.
