Better Business Bureau News: Strive for customer satisfaction
No matter what business you are part of, or what job you are in, sooner or later, you will run into an unhappy customer. Last year, the Better Business Bureau assisted Middle Tennessee businesses with over 25,000 customer complaints. When you work with as many customer problems as the Better Business Bureau does you know the customer is not always right, but “the customer is always the customer.” And that simply means solving the problem must be more important to the business owner or manager, than who is “right.”
Handling customer problems the right way is a major flaw for many business people. The best way to quickly move toward resolving a customer issue is to approach the problem professionally and not personally. Being professional means keeping the focus on the issue under discussion and away from you. A customer with a problem may be angry or irrational. Don’t take it personally. Take control and follow these steps to keep your customers happy and keep them coming back.
TAKE IT PROFESSIONALLY: In short, this means one thing – solve the problem. Don’t look for blame and don’t accept blame. Apologize for the inconvenience and get on your way to resolving he problem. What matters to the customer is that you are willing and able to handle the problem presented to you.
SYMPATHIZE: A customer with a complaint may be angry and expect resistance. By sympathizing you can defuse the situation. Statements such as “I understand how you feel,” or “I can see how you are upset by this” are often great phrases. Acknowledge the customer’s feelings without agreeing with their position. A friendly, open, non-defensive attitude lets the customer know how important they are to you.
APOLOGIZE: Be sincere in expressing regrets that the customer has been inconvenienced or disappointed. Now state the company position. Ask questions to find out if the customer understands company policy. If adjustments are in order, make them quickly, and cheerfully. If no adjustment is due, explain the company policy to the customer.
If the company is at fault, admit it quickly and show your willingness to correct the error. If the error is the customer’s, allow him to save face. Remember your goal is to keep your customer.
REASSURE: The customer has expected resistance and is afraid you’ll do nothing about the problem. Fear must be eliminated before they can speak reasonably with you. “Ms. Customer I am sure we can fix this for you,” or “Mr. Customer, we’ll do all we can.”
GET THE FACTS: People with complaints often generalize. They may start off saying that everything was bad, when in fact, only part of the transaction may have caused the problem. Ask questions, listen without interruption or argument, and restate your understanding by paraphrasing what you have just heard. See the customer’s point of view.
REBUILD YOUR REPUTATION: After apologizing, remind the customer your company successfully deals with hundreds of customers every year. Remind them you have built a good reputation based on doing the right thing and dedication to your customers. Let them know you appreciate the opportunity to correct the problem.
THANK THE CUSTOMER: Make your customer feel good. By now, they are feeling better about the situation and may feel they could have brought the matter to your attention in a more polite manner. If they go away feeling they’ve made a mountain out of a molehill, they may never come back. Be sure you take the opportunity to thank them for the constructive criticism and allow them to save face.
Be professional, be sincere, and SMILE!