Every business would like for every one of its customers to
have consistently great experiences, but that’s not always the case. Even the
best businesses have customers who have a less-than-positive experience. Luckily,
ReadLocal
has seven tips for how to recover when a customer has a bad experience.
1) Quickly Take
Action
A customer may complain at the time of service or wait to contact
the business. However a customer contacts you about a negative customer
experience, it’s important to resolve their issue as quickly as possible. You want
the customer to know you care about their business , so quickly resolving their
problems helps them feel more positive about your company.
2) Identify the Cause
When a customer complains about a bad experience, they may
mention many issues when they speak with you. It’s important to listen to what
they have to say, paying attention to the specifics they mention pertaining to
your business. There are potential issues that can arise, but it’s important to
identify the root of the problem so you can respond to their specific issue.
3) Offer an Immediate
Resolution
If a customer is unhappy with your products, solve their
problem as soon as you hear about it. The longer it takes for their issue to be
resolved, the more upset they are likely to become. To make sure you can
consistently offer immediate resolutions to customer complaints, create a
system, procedure, or policy for each of the bad customer experiences your
business has faced so that you’ll have a way to handle issues as they arise.
4) Take
Responsibility
Is every customer complaint your fault? Not necessarily, but
it is important to take responsibility for the contribution you have had in the
issue. Don’t blame the customer, because that is only going to make them more
upset. Identify the parts of the issue that your business played a part in, and
let the customer know you are aware of your responsibility.
5) Apologize
Make sure to apologize for the customer’s bad experience. Be
sincere in your response. Let the customer know you appreciate their business
and are sorry for any inconvenience. Don’t be frustrated in your conversation
with the customer. Instead, put yourself in their shoes and let them know you
care.
6) Provide a Tangible
Solution
In most cases, an apology alone is not enough to recover
from a bad customer experience. In order to resolve the issue with the
customer, offer a resolution. For example, many businesses offer a discount,
refund, or complimentary service package, depending on the severity of the
issue.
7) Empower Your Team
“May I speak with a manager?” This is one of the questions
that a customer has a complaint about your business. But, authority and
approvals to get customer complaints resolved can make the process take more
time and make the customer feel frustrated. So, empower your team to be a part
of the resolution process so that issues are handled at the front line.
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