How to Handle Customer Complaints When You’re an Entrepreneur
A Full Guide to Handle Customer Complaints as a Business Owner
Customer complaints are a part of the company’s growing process. Handling complaints effectively helps increase your service quality and also strengthens your relationship with the customers. Today, we discuss the right ways to handle customer complaints.
Keep Business Purely About Business
You should always try to bear in mind as an entrepreneur to keep your professional distance. The business should always be purely about business. As much as possible, this means you should not take a customer complaint as a personal attack against you. On the other hand, you should also refrain from challenging your customer when they complain.
Let the Customer Vent
You can handle customer complaints best by listening to the customer until you get to the core of their argument. If the product is defective, find out what the defect is. You should ask for the name of the specific employee if your staff’s service leaves much to be desired. After all, the customer is trying to get your attention by complaining.
Be Ready to Explain
Sometimes, the best way to handle customer complaints is by giving a simple explanation. If the product is defective, explain to the customer that you can replace it with one that works. Always inform the customer that you will talk to an employee if your staff’s service is reportedly lacking, to clear up the situation right away. There are instances where the concern is actually trivial, then it becomes a huge deal due to the customer’s venting itself. In such cases, you just need to eliminate the problem by giving a concise explanation while providing a surefire solution.
Check for Complicated Problems
There will also be times when you handle customer complaints about more complicated problems. If the complaint seems to indicate a more complicated problem, pay closer attention. Ask for the facts that showed the customer that something was wrong. If the product defect seems to indicate a problem with the manufacturer, thank the customer for revealing it to you. If the service showed that the employee might have to be let go, inform your customer that you will talk to the employee. These will help you build a more customer-sensitive business.
Offer a Solution to the Customer
Customers do not always want to just talk and vent. Some may come to you expecting a clear solution. For product defects, check if you need to phase out the product in question for being sub-standard. For employee-related problems, talk to your staff to determine if their behaviour has been less than desirable. Problems can be a chance to upgrade your business so that such problems are ended quickly, before doing more damage.
CASE IN POINT: The Embarrassing Behavior of a Delta Air Lines Employee
A mix-up caused one incident of a passenger complaint against Delta Airlines in designating the passenger’s luggage for a particular flight. The passenger was put on one flight, but his bag was placed on a different plane. Naturally, the passenger wanted to speak with the airline staff but filmed the conversation. This made one male Delta Air Lines employee angry to the point of cursing at the passenger. Delta Air Lines later apologized for the employee’s behaviour since it didn’t meet its customer service and professional standards.
Thank Customers for Complaining
Often, you will not be able to find out about business-related problems until a customer complains. Thank your customer for complaining since it improves your business operations and gives you a fighting chance in your competitive industry.
For more business news regarding handling customer complaints and other business-related situations, visit Top World Business today. We may have the information you need to stay at the top of your industry.
