Customer complaints: Respond, reinforce, grow

Are you ready to turn the next unhappy customer into a lifelong advocate?

This post will help you do just that. We’ll look at how to handle customer complaints, identify what went wrong and resolve it in a way that builds trust with your business.

Listen, identify the problem and solve it

It might seem simple to receive and process a complaint from one of your customers, but get it wrong and it can quickly go from bad to worse. Here are our tips on getting it right first time:

1. Listen - Listen carefully and actively to the customer's complaint. Show that you understand and empathise with their concerns and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

2. Apologise - Apologise and take responsibility for the problem, even if it was not your fault.

3. Investigate - Investigate the issue and provide a solution or explanation to the customer as quickly as possible. Don’t forget the 10-minute resolution!

4. Follow up - Follow up with the customer to ensure that the issue has been resolved to their satisfaction.

Never forget that customers who complain are actually doing you a huge favour! By complaining they are giving you an opportunity to improve your products or services, and to build a stronger, more loyal customer base.

Reviewing it with the Team

Certain customer complaints can deliver real value if analysed correctly, potentially exposing weaknesses in your product or business that need improving. In order to get the most amount of value out of a customer complaint ensure the following steps are carefully carried out:

- Gather all relevant information about the complaint, including details of the customer's experience, any communication with the customer, and any internal notes or documentation related to the issue.

- Assign a team or individual responsible for conducting the review.

- Identify the root cause of the problem. This may involve interviewing employees, reviewing processes, or analysing data.

- Develop a plan to address the issue and prevent it from happening again in the future.

- Implement the plan and follow up to ensure that it is effective.

- Communicate the outcome of the review to the customer and any other stakeholders, including upper management.

- Use the information learned from the review to improve your overall customer service and experience.

Turn a complaint into an opportunity for growth and development

As a business owner, you can’t afford to ignore complaints. If handled well, they provide valuable insights into how your customers feel about your products and services and allow you to get ahead of the competition.

Use customer feedback to help improve your product or service. Do this well and it will strengthen loyalty and trust between your company and its customers and deliver them experiences they will love!