Customer Complaints - The First Three Steps
August 31st 2006 12:26
Owning your own small business means that you are now responsible for all aspects of service. This includes customer complaints. There is no longer the option of running and getting the manager to deal with the complaint. It’s now up to you to turn a negative experience for the customer into a positive one that will hopefully result in a return of their business.
Following are three simple actions that can help you deal with complaints effectively and positively.
1. Who is the complainer?
Is the person making the complaint calm and rational or are they emotional and aggressive? Determining their frame of mind will enable you to pick an effective method of resolving the complaint. Those people who are being emotional generally respond better to appeasing actions where they are not being challenged or forced to think. Usually, once they have got it out of their system and calm down they can then talk about their complaint rationally. Basically, if someone is talking to you and they are clearly distressed or angry let them have their say, making appropriate sympathetic actions.
2. Listen to the complaint
Show attentiveness by jotting down notes as you are listening to the complaint. Nod your head occasionally and give plenty of eye contact. Do not interrupt the customer – at this point they don’t care what you’ve got to say.
3. Show that you’ve listened
After the customer has finished telling you their grievance, say to them ‘so the problem is………’ and re-iterate what they have told you. End with ‘is that right’ – have them confirm the information.
These three steps are integral to getting the complaint dealt with satisfactorily.
Tomorrow there will be the final three steps in successfully closing the complaint to the satisfaction of the customer and yourself.
Following are three simple actions that can help you deal with complaints effectively and positively.
Is the person making the complaint calm and rational or are they emotional and aggressive? Determining their frame of mind will enable you to pick an effective method of resolving the complaint. Those people who are being emotional generally respond better to appeasing actions where they are not being challenged or forced to think. Usually, once they have got it out of their system and calm down they can then talk about their complaint rationally. Basically, if someone is talking to you and they are clearly distressed or angry let them have their say, making appropriate sympathetic actions.
2. Listen to the complaint
Show attentiveness by jotting down notes as you are listening to the complaint. Nod your head occasionally and give plenty of eye contact. Do not interrupt the customer – at this point they don’t care what you’ve got to say.
3. Show that you’ve listened
After the customer has finished telling you their grievance, say to them ‘so the problem is………’ and re-iterate what they have told you. End with ‘is that right’ – have them confirm the information.
These three steps are integral to getting the complaint dealt with satisfactorily.
Tomorrow there will be the final three steps in successfully closing the complaint to the satisfaction of the customer and yourself.
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Comment by Attitude Training & Development
Comment by Attitude Training & Development.
Please feel free to comment on my website www.attitudetraining.com.au