How to Deal With Unhappy Customers
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Even if you make seeing every customer happy your top priority, there are going to be times when you still have to deal with an unsatisfied customer. There will be times when complaints are very justified, and others when there was nothing you could do to control the situation. There are strategies that you can employ that can help unhappy customers feel better and even transform them into very loyal repeat customers. While it is natural for a start-up business to want to see each and every customer happy, it is not a good idea for that business to yield to the customer's every whim.
Display Policies and Sales Conditions
Upon starting your new business, determine policies about
returns and refunds and clearly post these policies so that
the customer can readily see these facts. Include, where
possible, this information on your receipts or sales agree-
ments as well. This leaves little doubt as to the policies
that you have established.
Communicate in Calm Voice
Never lose your temper. Even when a customer is being rude
it is your job and that of your employees to communicate
with the customer in a manner that is both caring and calm.
You want the customer to believe that you truly care about
them and their situation even if you may be unable to do
much about the problem. Your voice needs to always remain
calm even though the customer may be yelling. By remaining
calm, cool, and very collected, you will be more likely
to
diffuse things so that they do not become a problem that
involves confrontation. Do not be confrontational in your
tone or wording. Make sure that you tell the facts clearly
but in a friendly tone of voice. It does not matter how
badly the customer behaves, it is your job to be both
dignified and calm. You may just find that your calmness
will spread to the irate customer!
Empathy
Empathy doesn't necessarily mean agreeing with the unhappy customer. It simply means that you let the customer know that you understand they are upset and you want to calmly find out all information so that you can best resolve the situation. By showing that you care about them and about their feelings, the situation will remain calm rather than escalating into angry words. Just by stating, "I'm sorry that you are having a bad experience," can often diffuse a volatile situation.
Identify the Problem
You cannot fix what you don't know to be broken, so ask
the customer enough questions to get at what precisely is
bothering them. Did they receive the wrong item for the
job they have? Did a competitor have the same item at a
lower cost? When you find the cause of the unhappiness,
only then can you really make progress towards solving the
problem. Once you think that you understand what the problem
is, repeat that back to the customer so that you can be
sure that both of you are talking about the same problem.
Identify Possible Solutions
If there are possible solutions to the problem that you
are authorized to offer, calmly offer those solutions. Perhaps
the product can be returned for refund or replaced. Perhaps
an upgrade to another product with payment of the price
difference would solve the issue. Whatever solutions you
are authorized to discuss, do so in a calm, understanding
manner. If the problem involves a policy that is in writing
or posted in the business, you can direct the unhappy customer's
attention to the policy. Written policies are very important
to avoid situation where a customer will become irate. If
the customer remains upset, keep a low energy level and
above all - remain calm!
Certain People Just Will Not Be Happy
You are never going to be able to keep everyone happy all
of the time. Certain customers are going to be unhappy despite
all of your efforts to run a reputable business staffed
with well coached employees. Any start-up company eventually
encounters customers that are just impossible
to please. Once you have tried every conceivable means of
resolving the problem to the satisfaction of the customer
without success, it may be time to concede that this person
probably will never become one of those loyal repeat customers
you dream about.
It is important not to let one bad experience get your spirits down. So long as you are running a reputable enterprise, you will be able to attract new customers that will more than compensate for the few who get away. It is never a good thing to lose a customer, but sometimes those losses help you to concentrate on growth, mentoring, and even support. Training new employees with the skills they need for conflict resolution is necessary for all start-up companies because sooner or later that unhappy customer will come walking through the door.
About the Author:
Ken Bidgood is the chief writer for, and editor of Advertising XP, it's one of the webs most up to date Business sites, while you're there sign up for the free newsletter. Want to read more Business articles?, just go to: http://www.advertisingxp.com/articles There's also a free mini-course available that will teach you how to get loads of free targeted traffic.
