Dealing With Customer Complaints
No matter what type of business you run, it has to deal with circumstances in which things go wrong from your customer's point of view. Complaints can be a great source of information for the organizations. However efficiently handled complaints can convert an angry customer into a key selling point.For effective customer complaints management; organizations should have there staff trained in handling complaints.On other words an agent dealing with clients complaints can follow a simple recipe that I've found it leads to good results almost all of the time.
Below are the steps to Handle Customer Complaints:
Step 1: Acknowledging the complaint
Listen actively to what the customer has to say by mmaintaining comfortable eye contact - if agent was dealing with frontline servicing - and giving full attention with no interrupting. You should carry out the probing questions for more information and practice identifying problem and reading between the lines of your customer's complaint. You should also verify to your customer that you do understand him.*Remember: Do not take the complaint personally and don't accept or relegate blame on your fellows or your customers
Step 2: Document the Complaint details
Documentation of a complaint should be clear, detailed, and events noted in order as well as details regarding the compliant. If there is any need to refer the compliant; the information of the references should be also noted. *Remember: Get as much information as you can and don't interrupt clients comments.
Step 3: Offer an initial response (Apologize, sympathize and give assurance that you are going to do something about it)
The first things you must do when receiving a complaint is apologize for the collapse or failure that the customer has identified. It is very important for you to know that your apology must appear authentic and real to the customer, and not an empty exercise.
The second step in successfully dealing with complaints is to sympathize with the client and his/her annoyance or frustration. Your sympathy should also be exposed in the substance of your apology.
And to do more than that then you should show the customer that you have aaccepted the responsibility, provide him/her with options if you have some in hand or otherwise assure the customer that you will do something about his complaint.
All that will help keep the client in high spirits until the problem has been resolved. *Remember: Give your full name and the name of your supervisor if requested.
Step 4: Follow up & resolve of the problem
Talk with the client and discover the best means to resolve his problem.There will be times when, after gathering the facts of a situation, you will be unable to resolve the issue immediately. In this case it is important to let your customer know an estimation of how long it will take to take action on his/her complaint and what you will be doing to resolve it in the meantime and what you will act upon it.*Remember: Don't make promises that you cannot keep.
Step 5: Thank your customer
A simple ‘thank you' is one way to let the customer know that you appreciate the time and effort that they have taken to inform you about a problem with your company's service or product that you need to know about.
Make sure you let your client know why or in what way their complaint has contributed to you or your business.
Step 6: Give a care coupon
Give your customers something that shows your appreciation for them giving their feedback to you. And to let them know that you are sorry for the mistake that was made.
It is not necessary to give something that is costly or much; a coupon for a free drink or movie is fine, also a car wash or rent a car coupon will be a good idea.
Step 7: Practice anticipation
Create a procedure for recording all customer complaints occurring with different types. It will be a valuable source of information if it can be analyzed by management or an employee task to determine prototypes, tendency and root causes that need to be addressed within your company.
It can also be used as a process improvement and a precious source to prevent future similar problems recurrence.
If you're proud of the manner you resolve your clients problems, then make sure your customers know about it. Your professional and well-organized method of dealing with your customers complaints is one more way that will make you stay ahead of your competitors.
Best Regards, Sahar Ahmed Adam
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Dealing With Customer Complaints