COMPLAINTS ARE OPPORTUNITIES
EVERY TIME one of your customers pays for a product or service it is assumed that all will be well, without cause for complaint. Nonetheless, customers who never experience difficulties are less likely to be loyal to the brand than those who have suffered problems that you resolved successfully. Customers bringing back gripes or grumbles are asking you to retain the connection.
They are seeking to continue to do business with you. Customers who complain are giving you the opportunity to put things right. More than likely, your pricing strategy will have included an element to cover the cost of coping with such eventualities.
As part of your response, in addition to apologising, it pays to ask what can be done to resolve matters – in their view. Quite probably, they will demand less than you expected, making it cheaper to deal with, yet ensuring satisfaction when you complete the task. You have established rapport, listened patiently to the problem, agreed to a solution and cemented the relationship.
BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE
Taking it further, you might turn dissatisfaction right around and achieve an add-on sale, there and then. It can be argued that some complaints are blessings in disguise, in that they may unearth problems quickly: problems that can be caught and fixed before becoming widespread.
Why, then, are so many aftermarket complaints handled badly? Leaving aside the obvious negative contribution made by far-distant, unintelligible call centres, much of this predicament is down to poor employee communications, inadequate training and lack of consistent, thought-through procedures.
Front-line staff can be frightened to be positive. Maybe frightened of accusations that their reaction was too soft, or over generous. Frightened that they will be seen as failing to look after the interests of the business. Or frightened that they are contributing to the company being ripped-off. Often, quite simply, they will not know what to do when faced by a seemingly difficult customer.
It is just as important that in-depth grounding is provided in resolving complaints as it is to accommodate solid guidance on product features and benefits, or the most effective ways of selling these to prospective buyers. Moreover, different types of complainant require varying methods of response. But all require a response.
CANNOT BE SPLIT
Business reputations cannot be split. Everything the company does and says – everything actioned by employees – contributes to your standing in the marketplace. Inescapably, that includes the quality of after-sales service.
Many companies actively seek out customer complaints, in the knowledge that serious research has thrown up statistics to show that for every complaint expressed there are around 26 that go unregistered. People in this latter category are potential carriers of harmful gossip and at the very least are unlikely to buy from you again. No news from customers about your performance is not necessarily good news.
Satisfied customers equate to repeat orders and referrals. Listening to, then attending to, complaints quickly and fully will help your business to grow and prosper.
Building strong customer relations in what is undoubtedly a fickle buying arena will strengthen results and keep the business cogs lubricated.
