Sometimes things do not always go well with clients. Some clients complain for a good reason and others like to complain to just…well…complain. It is not easy to always know exactly how to maintain your anger or know how to take the correct plan of action to calm the customer down. One of the top reasons clients leave businesses to go somewhere else are because of the way they are treated. And being that researchers say it costs 5 times less to keep a customer than to gain a new one, you want to make sure you are handling customers the best way possible. Below are 7 key things you can do to help insure you personally can be the one to always save a customer, rather than lose one.
1. Listen and let them complain – Always let a customer give their full story and let them complain until they are completely done. Understand they are not angry at you, but they need someone to vent to.
2. Be Positive – You may not agree with what they say, but continue to be positive and relaxed. Summarize what they said so they know you listened. Do not take it personal.
3. Empathize with the customer – Once the customer tells you how they feel, you do not have to agree with them to empathize with them. Let them know that you understand why they may be feeling the way they feel. You do this, and often you will go from bad guy to good guy!
4. Always except responsibility if you made a mistake and do not make excuses – You will be amazed at how accepting responsibility will quickly diffuse a situation. It is hard for a customer to continue to be angry when you apologize and take on the responsibility. Giving excuses will only make the customer see you as trying to make the problem acceptable.
5. Try to resolve the customer’s problem yourself – The last thing someone who is dissatisfied about a service or product wants to do is have to take up their time telling more than one person their problem in order to get it handled. Try not to get discouraged and pass on the problem. If you do not know what to say, ask them to please hold and ask a manager and then go back and handle it yourself.
6. If you absolutely have no way to fix the existing problem, you need to at least have a solution for next time – There may not be a way you can go back and fix whatever the problem may be. It may be one of those “what’s done is done” type of issues. If this is the case, insure the client that you will do everything in your power to make sure it does not happen again. For example: If the client did not receive an e-mail you promised, make sure you let them know that next time you will not only e-mail them a message, but you can also fax or mail it to them as well to make sure they get it.
7. Thank the client for the complaint – As hard as it may be, thank the client for the complaint and let them know that you appreciate the feedback because it helps improve the quality of your business. This will really leave a good lasting impression on the customer.
Remember: Just because a customer gets angry from time to time, it is ultimately how you handle it that decides if they stay, not the fact they are dissatisfied. Every problem has a solution, just knowing how to handle a customer’s emotions can be a solution in itself.
1. Listen and let them complain – Always let a customer give their full story and let them complain until they are completely done. Understand they are not angry at you, but they need someone to vent to.
2. Be Positive – You may not agree with what they say, but continue to be positive and relaxed. Summarize what they said so they know you listened. Do not take it personal.
3. Empathize with the customer – Once the customer tells you how they feel, you do not have to agree with them to empathize with them. Let them know that you understand why they may be feeling the way they feel. You do this, and often you will go from bad guy to good guy!
4. Always except responsibility if you made a mistake and do not make excuses – You will be amazed at how accepting responsibility will quickly diffuse a situation. It is hard for a customer to continue to be angry when you apologize and take on the responsibility. Giving excuses will only make the customer see you as trying to make the problem acceptable.
5. Try to resolve the customer’s problem yourself – The last thing someone who is dissatisfied about a service or product wants to do is have to take up their time telling more than one person their problem in order to get it handled. Try not to get discouraged and pass on the problem. If you do not know what to say, ask them to please hold and ask a manager and then go back and handle it yourself.
6. If you absolutely have no way to fix the existing problem, you need to at least have a solution for next time – There may not be a way you can go back and fix whatever the problem may be. It may be one of those “what’s done is done” type of issues. If this is the case, insure the client that you will do everything in your power to make sure it does not happen again. For example: If the client did not receive an e-mail you promised, make sure you let them know that next time you will not only e-mail them a message, but you can also fax or mail it to them as well to make sure they get it.
7. Thank the client for the complaint – As hard as it may be, thank the client for the complaint and let them know that you appreciate the feedback because it helps improve the quality of your business. This will really leave a good lasting impression on the customer.
Remember: Just because a customer gets angry from time to time, it is ultimately how you handle it that decides if they stay, not the fact they are dissatisfied. Every problem has a solution, just knowing how to handle a customer’s emotions can be a solution in itself.
If you need help improving your customer service team. Please visit http://www.tmicentral.com/ or call TMI at 1-866-331-6044.
Customer requirements change all the time. To make a good customer relationship it is important that you should keep track of its needs and wants out of your products and services.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Jammie
MultiChannel eCommerce Sales Consultant