 How to Solve Customer Complaints (i) Listen One of the best ways to help make unhappy customers feel better about your business is to listen. This shows that you care about your customers, and are looking out for them. Employees receiving customer complaints should always be friendly, polite, and helpful; and try their best to resolve the problem if they can. Even if a problem cannot be totally solved, the fact that your business did everything you could to help will make the customer feel much less negative about your business, hopefully enough to keep them with you (so you can ensure they are fully satisfied next time around!). Sometimes it can be difficult for an employee to feel like helping an angry customer, particularly if the problem is not their fault; however it is crucial that they remain polite and helpful at all times.
Remember that body language is a large part of communication, so listening while looking away will just make the customer think you are ignoring them. See the links section for further information on Body Language.
(ii) Always Offer a Solution
When a customer complains, you should always offer them a solution to the problem. If you cannot directly fix the problem, offer them something else to try and keep them satisfied.
There are many different types of solution, but they could all turn a disappointed customer into a happy one:
Replacement – If you sell a product that has broken, offer a replacement. If an exact replacement is not available (or not wanted) you can try replacing with a similar make or model. A replacement solves any problem with the product, it may cost you the value of a new product, but losing the customer will probably cost much more in the long run.
Refund – If a customer is really unhappy with a product or service they may want a refund. This will mean a loss of the sale revenue, but providing a refund without hassle will strongly improve the chances of the customer returning again. In some cases a partial refund may solve minor problems (E.g.: Slight scratches on a product, etc…)
Fixing – If there is a problem with a product, try fixing it! If a customer has a problem with your service, try taking steps to solve the problem and prevent it happening again. If the problem is an employee, speak with them, or if it continues, consider giving a verbal warning. If there is a common employee problem, you may be able to help solve it with training.
Money off Next Purchase – For smaller problems, it may be satisfactory for you to offer the customer money off of their next purchase with you. This helps to ensure that they will return to you, whilst minimising the cost of solving the problem.
Apologise – Sometimes one of the most effective forms of solution can be an apology, informally for minor problems, or written for major problems. An apology should be genuine, and may go alongside other forms of solution, particularly if the problem is significant, or the customer is an important one. An apology shows that you care about the customer, and that you are aiming to put right any problems they have encountered.
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