November 28, 2018 | By Peyton Sawyer
The way in which a business owner handles a customer complaint can make all the difference. With the increase in internet usage, more and more people are shopping online. That means that whether you have a brick and mortar store or an online business, consumers are rating your service and posting reviews about you and the products you are selling. A bad review can result in a loss of business. That's why it's important to handle your customers and their complaints with care.
Listen to Customer Concerns
If the bad experience your customer endured was out of your hands and unavoidable, you can still rectify the situation by offering your assistance. A bad review of service is one thing, but a bad review about a business owner treating a customer poorly is even worse. Knowing how to console a customer can help to sustain a reputable name for your business! Listening to customer concerns will help to ensure the excellent customer service you are striving for.
Understand and Address the Complaint Immediately
How a complaint is handled will help to determine the intensity of the problem. Responding quickly to any matter the customer is having will help to give an immediate resolution. Ignoring an issue will not make it disappear; it will only get worse. So, before a bad experience escalates, take the time to address it. Remember to be sympathetic. You may encounter a customer that just wants to be heard. Apologize for the inconvenience they have experienced with your business, and give them the attention they need to move on.
Don’t challenge the customer, even if they are wrong in how they recount the situation. Let them speak without interruption and be agreeable without admitting guilt. Simply apologize for the problem they have encountered and ask how you can help.
Identify the Problem
If you are having an issue identifying the problem and how it came about, ask questions to clarify. You may find that the problem does not lie with your business, pricing or merchandise, but with an employee at your establishment. If that is the case, you will want to get the details needed to assess the situation, as well as the employee.
An employee that presents a less than satisfactory behavior with customers can affect your establishment. The individuals that you employ are the face of your business, and that face should be approachable to any customer that enters.
Resolve the Problem
The customer may have a resolution in mind. Simply take the time to ask how you can rectify the situation. It may be in the form of a reimbursement, replacement, exchange, credit or a store discount. If the customer’s request is valid, then it would be smart business to provide the resolution. Often times, finding a remedy will help to make amends with ease, allowing you to avoid a bigger headache.
Remedying the customer complaint can cost a small business owner like you more than you have to spend, but it may be necessary. If you can't avoid the issue that has presented itself, or afford to make it right, then consider some alternatives funding methods. Look at all your options. For example, a cash advance, may be just what your business needs to make it through this hard time.
