Complaints should be seen as an opportunity to improve and provide quality service to your customers.
If someone is spending money on your business, services, and products they are bound to demand the best from you. You have to work super hard to satisfy your customer and sometimes can be fickle and demanding and sometimes even if there is no fault on your own, you need to address the complaints and concerns. If you manage to resolve the customer’s issues, you would be able to score well on the customer service front. So, here are some ways with which you can turn a negative customer interaction around.
Respond and act immediately
Though it is common sense to act as soon as possible because delay in action is what would infuriate the customer further. Always remember the longer it gets for you to respond the more infuriated the customer would be. He could either write a very bad review about you or talk negatively about you with his friends and peer group which would affect your business adversely. A show of concern and a swift acknowledgment can take things in a more positive direction.
Try to reflect, validate and most importantly empathize with the customer
Many big names in the business use what is popularly known as the Imago dialogue technique to work with difficult and upset customers. This method involves three steps which are validation, empathy, and reflection. You must validate your client’s feelings so, that they could feel heard, and try to empathize with their situation because many of them just want to be heard and understood if you disagree with them at a certain level.
Try to fix the problem effectively and efficiently
Now the next and the most important step that you must follow is fixing the problem as quickly as possible. And if you can’t fix the issue then issue them a refund or another free service. Always try to look for solutions and what more could be done to make the problem go away.
Listen carefully
Listening is a skill that you must inculcate while conversing with a client. And the skill comes in handy at times when the customer is not in the best of moods and is upset with your services or products. Don’t think much about what you should say next, instead try to listen well, understand their frustrations and situation.
With swift action and effective communication, you can not only retain customers but also turn their complaints into loyalty.
