Think for a second about how you decide where to spend your money.
How do you choose which businesses to patronize and which ones to avoid? Usually, we spend our money where we believe our needs and wants can be met. We consider the value of what we are purchasing and decide whether or not we will spend our money. Other times, we may avoid a business because a friend or family member told us about some horrible experience they had, and we won’t risk going through the same thing.
If you are a business owner, then you know how important it is to address your customers’ needs and ensure their satisfaction. Unfortunately, not all those interactions will be pleasant; but it is necessary to deal with them and provide an exceptional customer service experience for our clients.
How we handle complaints will play a huge role in the long-term success of our businesses. As an entrepreneur, part of managing customer issues is about:
- Effectively handling clients who express dissatisfaction
- Letting them know you are willing to make it right, and
- Informing them of how you will do so.
Here are some do’s & don’ts to keep in mind when handling complaints or issues:
- DON’T become defensive when someone contacts you about a product or service where something went wrong.
DO take accountability and do your due diligence to find out where & when the problem occurred. Then do your best to resolve the issue.
- DON’T argue with your customer. Name-calling or blame-shifting does not help the situation, and will earn you bad reputation.
DO calmly discuss your customer’s issue(s), ask questions, listen, and investigate what happened.
- DON’T ignore your customer. That’s just rude. There is nothing worse than being ghosted by a company you’ve spent money with who won’t give you the courtesy of a response or who does very little to resolve your problem or issue. That’s not how we treat our customers.
DO communicate (either through email or by phone). Keep the customer informed every step of the way so that they are reassured that you are working to fix their problem.
- DON’T let their issue fall through the cracks.
DO set reminders. Loop in the necessary team members to help get the issue resolved quickly.
- DON’T take it personally. This is not about you, it’s about the customer getting what they paid for and being happy with their purchase.
DO use this situation to improve and update your processes or systems; evaluate how you can become more efficient to avoid a similar issue in the future.
Handling customer service issues does not have to be a negative experience. In fact, viewing them as learning opportunities or information gathering instead creates an opportunity to grow from those experiences. You can develop a plan or strategy that addresses customer service issues and improves your processes going forward. And to top it off, your customer is more likely to appreciate you and refer business to you when you make the concerted effort to ensure they are fully satisfied after the transaction. You want your customer to be happy they spent their money with you.
Four Tips to help resolve customer complaints & create a win-win for everyone
- First, take time to let your customer know that they matter and that you care about their experience with your product or service.
- Secondly, don’t just tell them that you will make it right. Tell them how you will make it right. Have your strategies already in place and know how you handle requests for returns or refunds. It will make it easier to resolve any issues quickly and efficiently. Publish your policy on your website or include it in your emails. This will help potential and existing customers know that their satisfaction is your top priority.
- Finally, take a minute to reassess your current processes and systems to find the reason for the customer’s issue. Was there a breakdown in the process that caused this dissatisfaction? Was the problem with a third-party vendor or another reason outside of your control? Find the problem and fix it.
- And if you are so inclined, you could inform the customer that their particular experience prompted a review of your processes and share the improvements you made as a result. This is simply another way to offer exceptional customer service and thank the customer for their patience while you resolved their issue. (You could even pair this with a special offer for a future product or service. Just a thought.)
These are just a few tips to help as you build your brand and business. Believe me, there are so many ways you can create a top-notch customer service experience. Consider where you spend your money and the types of policies those businesses have that ensure an exceptional experience for their customers. Use them as examples, in addition to your own experiences and preferences, to create a policy that works best for you and those you serve.
Your customer service plan could be what potentially sets you apart from other businesses. It is not difficult to provide top-notch service to your customers; it just takes a plan. And to be honest, it is one of the best ways to keep your loyal customers coming back, time and time again.
Need some help?
If you need support creating a customer service plan for your business, I can help with that. All you have to do to get started is schedule your free consultation by visiting https://charae.me.as/hello and selecting the day and time that works best for you.
Or. maybe you’re still on the fence about starting your own business or jumping into entrepreneurship. If that’s the case, then I have the resource just for you! Download my free $ide Hustle Checklist today by visiting https://pages.mbsllcmd.com. Simply enter your email address and then the download will be available immediately. (Did I mention it was free?)
Feel free to browse my website to check out my business consulting and virtual assistance services. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything I can do to help you to accomplish your goals. Also, I would love to invite you to listen to my new podcast! It’s called The Melanated, Mindful, and Monetized Podcast. Season 1 is currently up and Season 2 is now in production, so you’ll definitely want to stay tuned for new episodes. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and I’ll send some of these business gems and other goodies straight to your inbox.
Good luck in your endeavors my friend, and happy building!
Charae