Admittedly, asking for complaints… it sounds crazy. “We want exactly zero complaints!” I can already hear you shouting. However, take a moment to consider the impact of a complaint and how you can turn it into a satisfied customer. How should you approach this? Sit back, grab a snack, and I’ll explain exactly how to handle complaints.
“You learn from your mistakes,” my mom always preached (yes, motherly wisdom always comes in handy). What applies to me is certainly applicable to companies when it comes to handling complaints. Do you know what mistakes your company is making today? To perform better, consumer feedback is of great importance. It gives you insight into the weak points of your product and where your service might be falling short.
Humans are complainers by nature. “The weather is so bad.”, “Ugh, it’s Monday again.” You get my point… And the rise of social media hasn’t made things any better. It offers a convenient outlet to shamelessly vent (negative) thoughts, resulting in numerous discussions and comments.
It is the fear of these negative comments on platforms like Facebook that paralyzes many companies. They consciously avoid taking the step toward social media and risk missing the digital train. What if I told you that negative comments aren’t just complaints, but priceless advice? Okay, you don’t have to be convinced immediately, but let me persuade you with a few insights:
In short, your worst nightmare. Bad news travels fast, after all. Not only will you lose this consumer, but others will quickly follow. According to studies, one dissatisfied customer will quickly vent about a problem to four other (potential) customers.
By handling complaints, you gain insight into problems that weren’t initially visible to you, but are to an outsider. Consumers provide a fresh perspective on your service or product. Complaints about these give you the chance to optimize how things work.
Everyone values customer satisfaction. Treat your consumer and their complaint with the best care and advice, and you’ll soon have a loyal customer who won’t leave your side. (Jackpot!)
Now it’s your turn. Be open to your customers’ complaints, listen to them, show empathy, and… do something about it! Want to bet you’ll see the number of loyal customers grow steadily?