We have all seen a customer complaint play out in front of us at a store or restaurant and can empathize with one party or the other. All employees and entrepreneurs eventually come across an individual who is unhappy with a product or service or something a firm has done. What we are concerned with now is how to see the upside in the situation. Clients make complaints for a vast array of reasons – in some of these instances an organization may not even be at fault – and it’s essential for a business to know how to manage client complaints with grace.
Potential for Increased Loyalty and Growth
While it may be difficult to manage client complaints graciously, it can prove to be a beneficial learning experience and possibly even serve as a business builder. Not only can this alert management to a problem or flaw they have never noticed or considered within their client relationship management efforts, it gives them valuable practice dealing with irate clients.
If a complaint is handled well, the solution or apology may ease a client’s mind and lead them to write positive reviews or recommend a firm to friends and family in the future. This can lead to more business for a company in the long run, meaning grievances are not always necessarily terrible for an organization’s reputation. Additionally, those who are satisfied with the resolution may be more satisfied with services than they were prior to the event that set off the complaint, which could lead them to rely on a firm’s services for a longer period.
Building a Reputation of Strong Service
With social media increasingly prevalent in personal lives, as well as the business world, it’s no surprise clients sometimes turn to public forums to express their frustrations and voice their complaints. But this paints your company in a poor light, especially if the comments go unaddressed by a company official.
While it may seem easier to ignore or delete a complaint that has been posted to your firm’s Facebook page or Twitter account, it’s essential to acknowledge the issue. Give a brief explanation to a disgruntled client on the public forum they chose to gripe and end the note with a comment that corporate officials will follow up via phone or email. Not only does this give an unhappy client the satisfaction of knowing his or her worries were taken seriously, it also allows others to see company leaders are taking client relationship management seriously and are eager to resolve complaints as quickly as possible and on multiple channels, boosting a firm’s reputation. You ability to manage client complaints across your team will help to inform the client experience you expect for your prospects and clients.
