Today’s customers are not just kings, they are emperors. If they are not satisfied with your product or service, they are bound to display their annoyance and anger. If your small business leaves complaints unattended or does not take the necessary steps to resolve them, you pay for it in the long run. Social media platforms such as blogging, Twitter and Facebook play a vital role in everyday life of a consumer. The new generation consumers will not hesitate to talk about their experience on the social media platforms. If you do not pacify an angry consumer quickly and efficiently, all it takes is just a Facebook entry, a tweet or a blog post to mar the reputation of your business. Here we have put together few pointers that would help you to resolve the complaints to the satisfaction of your customers.
Treat complaints as unsolicited feedback- To succeed, your small business has to be customer-focused. You need to the look into complaints seriously as they are the unsolicited feedback. A complaint should be treated as a valuable data regarding your business because it’s a direct interaction between the customer and the company. Remember that if you resolve the problem of one customer, you are actually resolving the similar issues faced by other customers who did not have the time or energy to place a complaint.
Pick up the phone and call the customer- The moment, your customer places a complaint, get an expert to handle the issue tactfully by responding immediately. It’s true that you can send emails or standard letters to get in touch with the customer. However, the best alternative is to telephone the customer if you have his telephone number. This will help to establish a personal touch and also understand his issues with your services or product.
Listening skills are very vital while handling angry customers- This is very important part of resolving a complaint. An angry customer is likely to be rude to you. And you as a resolver should not take it personally. They are angry because they are not happy with the performance of the product/service. Listen carefully to the customer’s idea of resolving the issue. It may be different from that of yours. Converse with them in neutral tone while tackling the issue and also let them know that you may not be able to meet every wish but will do the best to resolve it.
Giving away freebies make your customer happy- One of the ways to retain an upset customer is to give away a freebie in the form of a discount voucher. It would make your customer happy. He would realize that you have gone an extra mile apart from resolving the problem.
Keep in touch- Even after the complaint is resolved follow up with the customer either by sending an email or speaking to them over a telephone. This is to check whether all is well. The customer will appreciate this proactive behavior.
Handle the complaints with utmost care and go an extra mile to retain them at any cost. They have the power to make or break your business. As a small business owner, you need to understand the problem from the perspective of your customer. They complain when they are frustrated with the quality of your product/service, customer-service and if they are not satisfied with how the customer relationship personnel handled the issue.
