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Customer Care
All businesses, especially new ones, have to
be concerned about customer service. It's a fact that
if you don't keep your customers happy, they won't come
back to you.
Did You Know?
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A customer receiving bad service
tells at least nine people about it |
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A customer receiving good service tells only
two people |
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Statistics show that most businesses can generate
40% more income by keeping just 5% of their customers |
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On average it costs four times as much to find
a new customer as it does to keep an existing
one |
Golden Rules of Complaint Handling
Things go wrong in any organisation, but handling a
complaint effectively & efficiently can make a world
of difference to how your customer perceives your business.
Here are some practical tips from the Institute of Customer
Service to help you deal with customer grievances:
Thank the customer for complaining
It's better that the customer has told you that they
aren't happy rather than just walking away and grumbling.
This way at least you have the opportunity to do something
about it
Say you are sorry that the problem has happened
This is not an admission of guilt on your part but it
is good manners.
Put yourself in the place of the customer
This will give you an instant advantage, not only will
you have more empathy with the customer but also because
you know your business better you will hopefully be
able to find a solution quicker.
Start with the view that the customer has a valid
point not that they are trying to rip you off
Whilst there are a few professional complainers out
there they are definitely in the minority. Most people
are reasonable and don't just complain for the sake
of it. Accepting that they may have a point may trigger
off ideas for an acceptable solution to the problem.
Get the facts right
Even if you think you know the story let the customer
give you all the relevant information. This helps you
fully understand everything and helps them get it off
their chest.
Don't automatically go down the free gift route
Free gifts can be very useful, but don't offer one instead
of fixing the problem.
Learn from every complaint
Take action to make sure that the same thing doesn't
happen again and again. Train staff, improve information
or devise a system to eliminate the fault. Whenever
possible let the customer know they have helped you
resolve a problem.
Value keeping existing customers
Keeping a complaining customer has to be a top priority.
As it costs four times as much to gain new customers
you can afford to be generous with your time and effort.
Always respond
Customers hate being ignored. Ensure that everyone who
complains by telephone, letter or email gets a rapid
and appropriate response.
Give complaining enough priority and authority
Staff should be aware that complaints are a top priority
for everyone in the organisation. Ensure that anyone
who deals with them has sufficient authority to resolve
them completely.
Listen to your staff
They are closest to your customers and often have valid
comments about improving the service. Ask for their
views regularly and act on their suggestions where appropriate.
Remember our consumer advice staff will also be happy
to help you with any customer complaints.
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