Don't Ignore Customer Complaints

Would you rather have 100 satisfied customers or 100 loyal customers? Would you rather have 100 customers who were pleased with your adequate but not memorable service or would you rather have 100 customers who enjoyed your assistance so much that they will contact you to purchase products over and over again?

Stanford Research Institute and Harvard University have determined that business success is 85% people skills and only 15% technical knowledge. This seems to suggest that most customers’ needs cannot be satisfied by technical brilliance alone. Communications skills, a customer service mentality, and knowledge of business strategies and issues must be part of our development as customer service professionals.

For example, how do we handle an irate customer with a legitimate problem? Let me present -

The Customer Complaint – 5 Step Recovery Process

1. Listen – That means Active Listening:

Active listening is listening with a purpose. You can gain information, obtain directions, understand others, solve problems, share interests, show support, or see how another person feels.

2. Restate the problem – Paraphrase:

Remember that what someone says and what we hear can be amazingly different! Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. Repeat back or summarize to ensure that you understand. Restate what you think you heard and ask, “Have I understood you correctly?” If not, ask them to clarify for your understanding.

3. Apologize – Sincerely!

Remember that forgiveness only happens when someone regains your trust. An apology is not complete if it does not reflect all four of these:

· Regret,

· Understanding of the problem,

· Acceptance of responsibility, and

· A willingness to do better

Insincere apologies:

· Beware of the “iffy” apology : “I’m sorry if I cause any inconvenience.” which means, “Your pain is still hypothetical to me, not something I’m convinced of. If there is no “if” about it, say so!

· The “But” Apology: Any apology of the form “I’m sorry, but ____.” i.e. “I’m sorry, but you have to understand…” Nothing before the “but” can safely be taken literally.

· How about this one, “Sorry bout’ that!”

4. Fix the problem! - Don’t put it off another day if at all possible. Here is where your technical expertise will most likely pay off.

5. Follow-up – Was the problem fixed to the customer’s satisfaction? Call, e-mail or show up at the customer’s desk or office. Follow-up with your customers and ask them how they liked your service or if they have any questions regarding your product or service. This is a great way to not only provide good customer service, but to also obtain feedback about your product and service. You are also creating the all important “LOYAL” customer.

DJC

Keeping Your Cool With Irate Customers

I thought you might enjoy this true customer service story. I don't condone the customer service agent's method, but it is good for a laugh. Here it is:

It happened at the Denver Airport. This is hilarious. I wish I had the guts of this girl. For all of you out there who've had to deal with an irate customer, this one is for you. An award should go to the United Airline gate agent in Denver for being smart and funny, while making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. A crowded United Airlines flight was canceled. A single agent was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travelers. Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said: "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS." The agent replied: "I am sorry, sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but, I've got to help these folks first, and I'm sure we'll be able to work something out." The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear: "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?" Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone: "May I have your attention please, " she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. "We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14."

With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically, the man glared at the United agent, gritted his teeth and swore "F*** You!". Without flinching, she smiled and said: "I'm sorry sir, you'll have to get in line for that too!"

It is hard to blame the agent - DJC

Do you recall NO CALL?

What ever happened to the telemarketing NO CALL LIST? As many of you have done, I also registered all my phone numbers with the "NO CALL" list the year it came out and my unwanted telemarketing calls nearly ceased for a couple of years. Recently, I have been getting as many telemarketing calls as I did before I registered my phone numbers! I said to one caller, "I am on the no call list. Why are you calling me?" He said, "When you signed up as a customer for our service, you also consented to hearing any new offers we have." I told the caller in no uncertain terms that if they did not take me off their call list that I would cancel my service immediately. He hung up before I could even finish my sentence. Very frustrating.

I don't know about you, but I consider this just another form of lousy customer service.

Let me know if you have suggestions.

DJC