Customers are the lifeline of every business. Therefore, it is important for an organization to develop and maintain good customer service practices.
In a 2011 survey by American Express, researchers found that 78 percent of customers terminated a transaction or didn’t push through with an intended purchase because of a bad customer service experience.
In itself, a transaction lost is a customer lost. But, it can get even more expensive. According to fan experience expert, Ruby Newell-Legner, it takes 12 positive customer service experiences just to make up for a single, unresolved, negative customer service issue.
Making up for a poor customer service is just one thing—if you can still gain back the trust of a dismayed customer. The cost of acquiring new customers and generating leads are additional expenses you risk facing due to bad customer service.
Regardless of company size and industry, every business must strive to give their patrons and newly acquired customers a good customer service experience. This is why companies must invest in a good complaints management training.
Here are the industries with the most customer service complaints, as well as tips on how companies can manage such issues.
Steps in Managing Customers Complaints
The first thing you need to do is listen and listen well. In some cases, customer complaints can be resolved easily by listening to customers and understanding where they are coming from. The most important thing to remember at this point is not to get defensive.
The second step is to ask questions in a concerned manner. Keep in mind that the customers are most likely in a hostile mood and it won’t do well to take part in the conversation in a similar manner.
At this point, get as much information as you can to help you craft the best solution. Try to put yourself in the customers’ shoes and analyze the situation from their perspective.
The third step is to apologize for the poor experience and then offer a solution. It is important to apologize without blaming the customer even if it the issue is most likely their fault.
At the end of the day, this is where a good complaints management training comes into play. The ability to resolve issues quickly is one of the best ways to keep customers happy and loyal even when things go wrong.
