Coping With Unsatisfied Customers
by Ken Bidgood
http://www.advertisingxp.com
Unsatisfied customers are an inevitable consequence of
doing business and you will run into them no matter how
committed you are to seeing them all happy. There will be
times when that customer is justified in being upset while
there will be others where the situation was entirely out
of your control. Strategies do exist where you can diffuse
a situation and help a customer feel better and perhaps
even turn them into a repeat buyer. In the beginning,
every business owner is certain that they must retain every
single customer they can but this is not an excuse to allow
the business to become a veritable doormat for customers to
kick around when they feel like it.
Display Policies and Sales Conditions
You will want to decide upon your refund and exchange
policies before ever opening your doors for business.
Then, put these policies in writing and be sure to post
them where they are clearly visible and consider placing
these policies on your receipts and sales agreements so
there is no disagreement about how your company handles
such transactions.
Calm and Cool Communication
Never lose your calm! Customers will get irate from time
to time but it is your duty and that of your employees to
handle that irritated customer in a calm and collected
fashion. Show the customer that you care even when there
is little or nothing that can be done to alleviate the
situation. You will want to keep the energy level low key
in an effort to diffuse a potentially volatile situation
and prevent matters from spinning out of control. Do not
be confrontational with the customer and use tact when
speaking. Remember to stick to the facts and do not lose
your dignity no matter what the customer may say. Your
calm demeanor may very well rub off on your irritated
customer.
Empathy is Good
You need not nod your head and agree with every word that
comes out of a customer's mouth in order to empathize with
them. You just would like the customer to know that you do
care about the situation and are trying to learn all you
can so that you can resolve the matter to their
satisfaction if at all possible. "I am truly sorry for
your inconvenience" will more times than not be able to
calm someone down but they must believe you are sincere and
not merely patronizing them.
Identify the Problem
Calmly ask the unhappy customer questions to pinpoint the
exact source of their unhappiness. Is the product broken
or not as advertised? Is it the wrong product for the job
they need? Did they find it at a lower price elsewhere? By
identifying the source of the unhappiness, you can begin to
make headway toward resolving the issue. Once the customer
has stated the problem, repeat what you heard back to the
customer to be certain that you both understand the
situation.
Find Potential Solutions
After you know what caused the problem, you may then start
offering up potential solutions if you have been authorized
to do so. Maybe it is as simple as refunding their money
or exchanging the product for another. Perhaps an upgrade
to a better product is possible with the customer paying
the difference in price. If the problem stems from the
customer not adhering to the posted policies, calmly and
respectfully direct their attention to where they are
posted. These policies can help diffuse situations when
the customer realizes that there is nothing that can really
be done. But, the customer may remain upset and you will
still need to keep your composure and remain calm.
Understand That Not Everyone Will Be Happy
You must accept that despite all of your best efforts to
the contrary, some customers will never be happy. All
start-up companies run into these irate customers from time
to time and nothing you can do will please them. Once you
have exhausted all possible options at resolving the
situation but the customer remains hostile and unhappy, you
are going to have to accept that probably will not be one
of your repeat customers.
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.
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