Dear Ms. Marketing: Unhappy Customers
Dear Ms. Marketing: Unhappy Customers
Dear Ms. Marketing: I have a customer that is always complaining. Do you have any suggestions on how to handle an unhappy customer?
If you have been in business any amount of time, you are going to have some upset customers and maybe even some irate ones. Everyone has to deal with these types of customers because if you don't, they will bad-mouth you all over town. They may not always be right, but they are your customer for now.
You probably already know what to say, but do you know what not to say? First, don't say, "Calm down," because this implies to the customer that they are out of control and it doesn't work. You also don't want to say, "You're being unreasonable," because it puts the entire blame on the customer.
When you're trying to get to the bottom of the problem, ask questions. Try to avoid asking a lot of why questions. Examples are: "Why are you returning this product?"
"Why are you so upset?" "Why do you think the billing is incorrect?" When you ask questions in this way it sounds as if you are questioning the client's judgment. Try instead to ask: "What is it about this product that doesn't meet your needs?" "What happened to upset you?" "Which items on this invoice were not the price you were quoted?" These are the same questions but you are not sounding judgmental and your willingness to solve problems comes through.
Remember to treat your customers the way you want to be treated. If they have a problem, they want to know that you care enough about them and their account that you will drop everything to solve their problem. Listen intently to the customer, acknowledge that their concern or problem is valid and make movements to rectify the situation. This will ensure that you can establish a trust that the next time it will be better. Every business strives to have a next time.
All companies make mistakes. The difference between a good company and a bad one is how they treat the customer on the other end of the mistake. So, at the end of the day ask yourself, "Will this customer keep doing business with me or will they go somewhere else?"
"It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference." - Tom Brokaw
