Customer Customer Complaints are Complaints are

Important –Important –How do you handle How do you handle

them?them?

One Vocal CustomerOne Vocal CustomerOne Vocal CustomerOne Vocal Customer

It used to be that one vocal, unhappy customer who took the time to write and complain, equaled 20 customers who never said anything to YOU ... but complained to everyone who would listen.

The World is WatchingThe World is WatchingThe World is WatchingThe World is Watching

It is more important than ever to know how to handle customer complaints, since they are often online, for all the world to see.

A bad online review has the potential to been seen by gazillions of potential customers.

One One VocalVocal Gazillion Customers Gazillion CustomersOne One VocalVocal Gazillion Customers Gazillion Customers

Remember those gazillions will also see how you handle the situation. If you do it right, you can turn a bad situation into a boon for your business.

Online, there is the potential for many more people, [gazillions even!] to see the situation.

With Success Come THE CustomerWith Success Come THE Customer With Success Come THE CustomerWith Success Come THE Customer

Finding success as a business owner has a flip side. Sooner or later, you will find THE customer.

THE customer whose complaint, manner and tone sets off all your alarm bells, tugs at the wrong emotions, and pushes all your buttons.

THE customer causes you to feel defensive! [How’s that for understatement?!]

Does THE Customer Does THE Customer Determine your Success?Determine your Success?Does THE Customer Does THE Customer Determine your Success?Determine your Success?

How do you handle it if someone not only gives you a bad review or complains about your product or service but is rude or insulating on top of it?

THE customer comes with success. How you handle THE customer may determine if you continue your success!

Conflict Isn’t Always BadConflict Isn’t Always BadConflict Isn’t Always BadConflict Isn’t Always Bad

Realizing that a complaint is an opportunity makes it easier to turn conflict into positive change!

Customers will tell you how to resolve the issues – IF YOU LISTEN.

Look for the PositiveLook for the PositiveLook for the PositiveLook for the Positive

Keep Cool.

Thank the customer. They are very valuable because they can give you so much information.

Listen or read through the complaint without paying attention to any trigger words.

Focus only on the “meat” of the complaint.

Keep Calm and Solve the ProblemKeep Calm and Solve the ProblemKeep Calm and Solve the ProblemKeep Calm and Solve the Problem

Remain cool and address only the real issue and not the tone of the complaint.

That way you can open the line of communication, allowing you to actually solve the problem.

Give Them What they WantGive Them What they Want Give Them What they WantGive Them What they Want

If you can do it and it won’t break the bank, the best thing you can do with a vocal customer is to give them what they want.

You can potentially turn an unhappy customer into a happy one.

Complaints Are Opportunities To Complaints Are Opportunities To ImproveImproveComplaints Are Opportunities To Complaints Are Opportunities To ImproveImprove

Happy customers tell others.

You already know this one is vocal so use that to your advantage. Make this customer happy and he will tell others!

The Customer FeelingThe Customer Feeling The Customer FeelingThe Customer Feeling

Focus on Customer Experience.

You should know how they feel during every state of the browsing and buying experience.

How do they feel about the experience? Your technology? Your website? Your phone system?

Your products? Service? Employees?

How about the ability to contact you?

Turn complaints into positive changeTurn complaints into positive changeTurn complaints into positive changeTurn complaints into positive change

Complaints will tell you what went wrong and how to fix it!

IF they are heard.

Customers might not be so mad at you when the product came broken or faulty if they were able to contact you QUICKLY and directly and you made good on it.

Online Customer ServiceOnline Customer ServiceOnline Customer ServiceOnline Customer Service

Who is handling your customer service?

Is it your IT guy? Or admin assistant? Or you?

Customer service professionals are trained on how to deal with angry people, to diffuse situations, calm them and turn them around.

Make sure whoever is dealing with your service online is trained and has the authority to make things good.

Thoughtful, Timely ResponseThoughtful, Timely ResponseThoughtful, Timely ResponseThoughtful, Timely Response

Everything is multiplied online. The number of people who see the complaint and your response.

Don’t forget the time warp.

People expect immediacy online. A complaint unanswered for a day turns into a “complete lack of customer service.”

Practice Healthy ResponsesPractice Healthy ResponsesPractice Healthy ResponsesPractice Healthy Responses

When someone reacts badly to something you said or did, it can be tempting to respond in a negative manner.

The truth is, how you respond to conflict will inform your audience more about you than you ever thought.

Find healthy ways to respond in a manner that shows you’re putting the customer needs ahead of your own.

Practice these responses until they come second nature to you. Train all staff working in customer service to do the same.

All Publicity is Good PublicityAll Publicity is Good PublicityAll Publicity is Good PublicityAll Publicity is Good Publicity

Don’t believe it. It may be more publicity but it’s not good.

A defensive reaction tends to bring more publicity – negative publicity.

Always strive to resolve the situation happily so THAT can spread exponentially.

Take it Offline Take it Offline Take it Offline Take it Offline

Try to find the person behind the complaint, the email, the message or bad review and contact them offline.

It is always better so speak where people can hear your voice and intonation.

Resolve the problem offline and hopefully leave the customer more than satisfied.

Ask if they would consider going back to the review and saying how happy they are with how the situation has been resolved.

Stop Online Complaints Stop Online Complaints Before They HappenBefore They HappenStop Online Complaints Stop Online Complaints Before They HappenBefore They Happen

Most people who have a complaint with a product or service simply want it resolved.

Like NOW!

If you are accessible, if your website makes it easy for people to reach you and you resolve issues quickly, they are less likely to go online to Yelp and TripAdvisor to vent frustration.

Make it EasyMake it EasyMake it EasyMake it Easy

Make sure your website has contact information on every page. Make it easy to find.

Make it easy to contact a real, live human.

And not just any only human with a headset. Make sure the customer service person actually has authority to make things right.

Be Grateful for the InsightBe Grateful for the InsightBe Grateful for the InsightBe Grateful for the Insight

Your most vocal customers are the people you need to listen to. Be grateful for those who tell you what they really think for they are a wealth of information.

"Thank your customer for complaining and mean it. Most will never bother to complain. They'll just walk away." ~Marilyn Suttle, Success Coach

Be Known for Your ServiceBe Known for Your ServiceBe Known for Your ServiceBe Known for Your Service

Make the vocal customers happy and keeping the rest of your customers happy should be a breeze.

Make them happy online might even bring you more customers.

Be known for your service.

Your Greatest AssetYour Greatest AssetYour Greatest AssetYour Greatest Asset

"Our greatest asset is the customer! Treat each customer as if they are the only one!"

Laurice Leitao, Customer Service Professional SeraCare Life Sciences

Need More Info?Need More Info?Need More Info?Need More Info?

For more helpful info for your small business check out:

PattTimlin.com

The full blog posts on:

How to Handle Customer Complaints and Why You Need to Bring Service Back to Your Business

will have you amping up your service!