It is hard to please a customer. It does not matter how good your product is or how good the deal is, you will always come across some guys who would look like you are pulling some sort of trick to device him. Customers are complicated but you need them anyway. So, you need to master the art of dealing with angry customers so that your business does not suffer.
Here, we offer several tips for dealing with unhappy customers.
Get them on the phone
In a digital age, it’s often not enough to respond to a frustrated email or Facebook post with a quick answer. Getting your customer on the phone allows them to really hear in your voice that you hear them and care about their frustration, and that you are going to do something about it.
Even if doing something about it means giving them their money back, you may still wind up having a customer for life because of your great customer service.
Offer them a refund
If your customer is unhappy with some aspect of what they have purchased but generally likes your product, consider giving it to them for free this time. Don’t underestimate how happy they will feel and how happy they will tell others they feel. You might win new customers because of your efforts in turning an unhappy customer into a very happy customer.
Create a reward or incentive
Did a customer post their frustration about your product or service on Facebook so that all of your fans can see? Show everyone how much you care—first, respond kindly and apologetically for the customer’s trouble. Then, offer a major discount or give them some present for free in order to reward all of your customers, as everyone could have been impacted. This shows all customers the kind of treatment you provide when a customer feels wronged, and the simple act of offering of incentives can improve your customers’ opinion of you.
Offer a free tour of your business
Customers who really like what you do might be interested in seeing how things work behind the scenes. This could also be a really good way for the customer to see why whatever happened to their product happened, and perhaps this will lend to greater understanding about what you are dealing with each day.
Post appreciative letters from customers on your blog, social media profiles, and customer service page
With the permission of the customers who wrote the letters, post some of the positive feedback you are getting from customers on your blog, social media profiles, and on your website where frustrated customers would look for your contact information.
Consumers listen to and trust each other, so when they see that other customers are happy, this can inspire a feeling of trust. This can also wind up lessening the negative impact of a customer who might have been extremely angry and came upon this information before reaching out to you.
Give A Present
Depending on the type of product you sell, perhaps you offer the angry customer a year’s worth of discounted products at your store. This can go a long way in easing their frustration and could really lend to keeping the customer around instead of losing them entirely and having them forget about you.
Some customers will never be happy and will make it their priority to attempt to build a negative online reputation about you. Then it’s time to call in the professionals, because this negativity can be contagious and impact your business significantly.
In short, a happy customer is one who feels listened to and attended to. Make sure to ask questions to ensure that you are getting all of the information you need from the customer in order to make an informed decision. Never underestimate the power of discounts and free product. And know that in cases that go rogue, you can always call in the professionals to help you manage through the negative online press you are getting from customers before it gets too out of hand. Customers often just want to be heard, so be sure to listen.
