What Seems to Be the Problem Here?

Many studies have reported that customers who have a problem resolved to their satisfaction are more loyal than customers who’ve never had a problem at all. Immediate problems with a transaction, you know you need to fix right away—make it easy to register more general complaints, too. Why listen to your customers’ complaints?

  • You’ll learn from what they have to say
  • They’ll feel a lot better
  • You might actually resolve the issue

In-person, by telephone, online form, or email, even *gasp* by snail mail if they’d like to. Make it easy. Give customers the opportunity to tell you what needs fixing, and call it cheap outside Perspective.

Think about how you feel when someone listens to you about the pothole in the parking lot—you know it’s not the guy who’s going to fix it, but the fact that the manager listens, responds, and writes something down makes you respect the company, doesn’t it?

A company that seems unafraid of facing complaints tends to receive fewer, and gets bonus points in the customer’s mind for being willing to take the heat. Customers feel free to say their piece and go on instead of letting resentment build up.

See this as a compliment; the customer cares about your company enough to say something rather than walking out forever.

What do you think about companies who hide their complaint department—How far are you willing to go to get through to them, and does it influence your future buying decisions? Does your company do it better than most?

 

Grow and be well,

Kelly Erickson