How Do You Deal With Customer Complaints?

At some point, we all have to deal with an upset customer.  Do you and your employees handle these complaints in a way that leaves the customer thinking you operate a great company? Since consumers have so many options today, the way your business handles a complaint can definitely set you apart from your competition. On the flip-side, poorly handled customer complaints are a quick way to destroy your reputation. 

Here are five basic steps that I personally use while working with customer complaints:

1.  Listen carefully to what the customer has to say, and let them finish. Don't interrupt or get defensive. The customer is not attacking you personally; they are upset about a problem. Repeat what you are hearing to show that you have been listening! Let the customer know that you empathize with the issue they have.  Try this: "I am very sorry, that's not the way we are expected to do business and I would be upset if that happened to me".

2.  If you get the complaint, take complete ownership. Regardless of your position or seniority, do not pass the buck or transfer the customer! You may not be the person that can fix the problem, but you can promise the customer that you will make sure it gets resolved. Research indicates that a customers prefer the person they are speaking with to instantly solve their problem. Passing the complaint to another person or department will only add to the customer's frustration.

3.  Apologize and say you're sorry. It doesn't get you off the hook, but it acknowledges the problem, which the customer will appreciate. Everyone makes mistakes, but don't blame another person or department. Make a sincere apology and promise to correct the issue, that will usually diffuse the situation and let you move to the next step.

4.  Offer one or more solutions to the problem. Always focus on what you can do as opposed to what you cannot. There is always a solution and it may not be exactly what the customer wants. However, if you focus on what you can do, it's still a potential remedy that can resolve the issue. I find that sometimes it's best to offer a couple different solutions and let the customer choose. They may want both, but then they feel that they really came out on top!

5. Now act quickly and follow-up. Make good on your solution or contact the person who can... and do it quickly!  Once the solution is in place, make sure to follow-up with the customer to make sure that they are satisfied with the solution. These are two key steps. You must follow through with your solution in a timely manner and make sure the customer knows and agrees that the solution is in place.

There is no getting around customer complaints, regardless of what business you are in.  Implement these five basic steps and you're sure to turn complaints into something much more constructive!

How do you deal with customer complaints at your business?