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If
you don't already know this, learn it now - Complaints are Opportunities!
Complaints, or rather how you handle them, can build your business as
quickly as any effective form of advertising. Complaints
are all too easily ignored on the Internet. After all, you'll never likely
be face-to-face with the complainant. Most complaints will fade off into
the sunset of cyberspace if left unattended. Sad fact is, far too many
companies simply let this happen as a matter of policy. Hence, the
still-valid fear of purchasing over the Internet. Please don't make the
mistake of letting the impressive growth statistics fool you. Internet
sales stats I estimate would be double those being reported if the
majority of businesses had not only fair and efficient, but GREAT customer
policies and service!! THE
NATURE OF COMPLAINTS Complaints
are just a normal part of conducting business and are often accompanied by
the emotional state of the customer known as simply - anger. Even if the
customer is not genuinely angry, they are certainly disappointed. But
we'll take the extreme situation here to demonstrate how you can create a
whole lot more than goodwill by the proactive handling of complaints from
angry customers. I
learned how to turn tragedy into triumph many years ago while owning and
operating a successful multi-store drycleaning business. We made mistakes
and either lost or damaged customer garments. In almost all cases, I
swear, it was their "favorite" when the claim was presented. In
many cases it was as if we had lost or harmed their child! KINDNESS
KILLS ANGER Many
of these complaints were presented in a state of anger. My staff was
'trained' to diffuse the anger with kindness and a sympathetic ear (even
if it was fake). Why? Well, kindness kills anger - instantly! As is human
nature, the angered party is fully expecting a like-reaction or at least
resistance from you, and when they receive, well, kindness as that
reaction, it throws them. Big time! How else can they react when they are
assured in a kind and caring tone that their problem will be dealt with in
a fair and quick manner? It's impossible for them to stay angry with you! BEWARE
- CONTROL THYSELF! It
is almost impossible NOT to get riled and defensive about your business
and integrity when attacked. Simple human nature. But it doesn't matter if
you are 100% in the right - if you allow yourself to sink to the
customer's level of anger, great damage can be done. All of us have said
things in a state of anger we completely regret. The moment you allow
someone to change your emotions, you no longer control the situation. It
is imperative that you remain in control of your emotions so that you can
control, and turn, the situation into a positive one! Simply,
and again, kill anger with kindness. Smother the flames, immediately
rectify the problem and if you are at fault (even if not) give your
customer something of value at no charge as a "measure" of your
knowing what inconvenience you caused them. No matter how angry or
malicious they were. KNOW
WHY? You
have now created what I refer to as a "lifer". A customer who
has first-hand experienced the kind of service and personal attention that
is sorely missing from most businesses, Internet or not. The 'convert' you
just created is someone who now has the utmost confidence in the integrity
of your business. Trust me, they will now scream it "from the
hilltops"! Look
at it this way. They're going to be screaming something to all their
family, friends and business contacts anyway. Better it be praise and a
referral than a slur, loss of reputation and future sales. WORD-OF-MOUTH-ADVERTISING
. . . .
. . is the most powerful form of advertising on or off the Internet! How
do I know this works? Simple. In almost 20 years of running my drycleaning
business I never had a single complaint registered with the Better
Business Bureau in my trading area of over 300,000. Notta one! Each time
we successfully resolved a complaint, customers were given a business-card
coupon that stated: To
err is human And
use this coupon worth $10.00 valid on your next drycleaning order. The
absolute beauty of handling complaints in the above manner is that it
truly Turns Tragedy into Triumph! Plus, it also makes the experience of
handling customer complaints a pleasurable task and an opportunity for
future sales and growth. IS
THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS RIGHT? Nope!
Some customers can be downright pains in the proverbial derriere, butt,
they ARE the customer and if we want them, their family, their friends,
and their business associates to buy from you, well you know what to do
now. And
speaking of difficult customers, I can't help but close this article with
a few famous quotes on the subject of complaints: There
are some people who knock the pyramids because they don't have elevators. It
is the growling man who lives a dog's life. And
my favorite: Just
because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect. Written by Rick Beneteau I have provided this article for you to use as a Business-Building tool. Feel free to use this article in your ezine, newsletter or website. All that is required is you place my brief resource box below at the end of each article used.
©2006 InterNiche.net |
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