Coping With Unsatisfied Customers
No matter how much you try to make every customer happy, youwill at times have to deal with unhappy customers. Some-
times the unhappy customer has a valid complaint; other
times they may have a complaint that is entirely out of your
control as an entrepreneur. There are techniques which can
leave an unhappy customer feeling less unhappy, and, perhaps
even turn the unhappy customer into a loyal, repeat
customer. Any startup business feels they must keep every
customer possible, but that doesn't mean that the business
owner should become a "doormat" to their new customers.
Post Policies and Sales Agreements
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
Always remain calm! If a customer becomes irate, it is
crucial that you, the business owner, and all your employees
deal with the irate customer in a very calm, caring manner.
Let the customer know that you care about how they feel,
even though you may not be able to give them exactly what
they desire. If the customer raises their voice, never
respond with a loud voice. Remain calm, cool and collected.
By keeping a low energy level, you can often diffuse the
situation rather than allowing it to escalate into a real
confrontation. Always speak tactfully and non-confronta-
tionally. State facts clearly and concisely, but in a
caring, friendly tone. No matter how badly the customer
behaves, remain dignified and serene. Your serenity will
rub off on the irate customer!
Empathy is Good
You don't really have to agree with the customer in order to
empathize with them. Rather, it means letting the customer
know that you realize that they are upset and will do your
best to alleviate the situation. Simply by showing the
customer that you care about them and their problem, it is
more likely that the situation will not descend into a
shouting match. The simple words, "I am sorry" are often
enough to settle things down in volatile circumstances.
What is 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.
Identify Possible Solutions
If the problem has potential solutions that you can actually
offer, relay these solutions to the customer in a calm
manner. Maybe the product can simply be returned for a
refund or even replaced. You may be able to upgrade to
a better product and simply charge the difference in price.
Any solutions that you are able to offer, do so in a very
calm and rational manner. If, however, a potential solution
is not possible because of a posted policy, then
respectfully direct the customer's attention to that posted
policy. A written policy is good to have because it may
help avoid an instance where the customer turns from
unhappy to irate. But, if the customer is still not happy,
keep the tones low and your demeanor calm.
Certain People Just Will Not Be Happy
You are never going to be able to keep everyone happy all
of the time. Certain customers are going to be unhappy
despite all of your efforts to run a reputable business
staffed with well coached employees. Any start-up company
eventually encounters customers that are just impossible
to please. Once you have tried every conceivable means of
resolving the problem to the satisfaction of the customer
without success, it may be time to concede that this
person probably will never become one of those loyal repeat
customers you dream about.
It will do no good to let one apple spoil the bunch. A
sound business infrastructure will be able to replace the
occasional dissatisfied customers that you run into.
Losing a customer is always a sad thing, but the event may
help you to concentrate efforts upon future growth and
training issues. It is a very good idea to make sure that
all employees have been sufficiently trained for the day
when they will eventually encounter an irate customer.
About the author: Ken Bidgood writes exclusively for
Advertising XP,
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