As an account manager, you know that client complaints are inevitable and sometimes unavoidable. However, how you handle them during the initial contact can make a huge difference in the outcome and the relationship. In this article, we will share some techniques that you can use to deal with client complaints effectively and professionally.
The first and most important technique is to listen actively to what the client is saying. This means paying attention, showing empathy, and avoiding interruptions or distractions. Active listening helps you understand the client's perspective, needs, and expectations, as well as demonstrate respect and sincerity. It also helps you avoid jumping to conclusions or making assumptions that might worsen the situation.
LAST: be it initial contact or a mature relationship L: Listen A: Acknowledge S: Solve T: Thank for giving an opportunity to contribute.
Pay close attention to your clients requirements and listen patiently and carefully before presenting them a solution. A good listener is always a good problem solver. Do not assume or pass a judgement too fast as it always leads to clients dissatisfaction.
God gave me two ears and one mouth. I try to use them in that ratio. Most situations de-escalate once the customer and/or client feels heard.
Remain calm and professional as the customer expresses their concerns, Listen to them with sincerity, and clarify issues that need to be resolved. show and express empathy, then offer resolutions and, if necessary, escalate until satisfaction is obtained.
I have often found that allocating a generous amount of time to answer complaints is key. I will always try to be empathetic and appreciative of the clients position in the first instance before then confirming both our understanding and agreeing a realistic timescale to investigate and revert with answers/actions. Several times I have found complaints to be (at least in some part) exasperated by initial frustration and demonstrating your empathy and commitment to investigate and resolve in a timely manner is welcomed. The absolute critical part is of course following through on your promises and keeping the client informed throughout. I also always confirm if they are happy with the outcome and/or have any remaining concerns.
The next technique is to acknowledge the client's complaint and apologize for any inconvenience or dissatisfaction caused by your service or product. This does not mean admitting fault or liability, but rather expressing regret and empathy for the client's experience. Acknowledging and apologizing shows that you care about the client's feelings and that you take their complaint seriously. It also helps to diffuse any anger or frustration that the client might have.
Remember, the way a complaint is handled can often have a more lasting impact on customer perception than the initial problem itself. A well-handled complaint can even turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal one. Therefore acknowledging and apologizing effectively is indeed a vital aspect of customer service and conflict resolution. Some strategies on how to do it effectively : ack the issue, express empathy, sincere apology, avoid blame, don't admit fault prematurely ( especially if all the facts are not yet known) offer a solution or workaround, follow through and finally try to learn from the experience by using feedback to improve the product.
There are some great responses, here’s my tip to this step that has proven to be very effective in getting into a constructive convo with an upset guest. After you have asked for them to explain what the concern was, you MUST repeat what they told you with as much detail as you can. I always say something like this, “Thank you so much for sharing I totally understand why you are so upset. Let me make sure I fully understand where you’re coming from so I can be as helpfully as possible. If I am I hearing you right…” Once I say that, I ask, “Did I get that right, were there any other concerns that I missed?” What this does is it instantly ensures to the customer that you have been listening, and you do care about resolving??
It’s important for your response to be genuine, your tone and body language needs to match your words. When you’ve absorbed the issue it’s key to prioritise thoughts for a solution but gain agreement that it will improve the core issue.
Being truthful helps. We all human, and errors do happen. Acknowledging and apologising does reduce the friction this generated...
Acknowledging mistakes and offering sincere apologies to an unhappy customer is crucial for demonstrating empathy. It not only validates their concerns but also shows a commitment to addressing issues. By taking responsibility, a business can rebuild trust, showcase transparency, and turn a negative experience into an opportunity for positive customer relations.
The third technique is to clarify and confirm the details and facts of the complaint. This means asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing, and summarizing what the client has said. Clarifying and confirming helps you avoid misunderstandings, miscommunications, or missing information that might affect the resolution of the complaint. It also helps you show that you are listening and that you want to get to the root of the problem.
By clarifying and confirming, you not only ensure a thorough understanding of the client's complaint but also demonstrate your commitment to resolving their issue effectively. This approach can significantly enhance client satisfaction and trust. Clarifying and confirming the details of a complaint is a crucial step in effectively addressing client concerns. This approach ensures that you fully understand the issue and can provide an appropriate response or solution. In order to do this effectively : ask open ended questions, summarize the statements, seek specifics in micro details, check for understanding or alignment, confirm next steps, document the details and finally maintain a professional tone all the time.
A few good steps for this one. - Ensure that the client knows you're on the same team. You're their advocate for them with your organization and will do everything in your power to provide a solution. - Let the client know that you're writing down their areas of concern regarding the correspondence. This shows that they know you're listening and will document the issue. - Send email correspondence after the conversation outlining the issue and everything that you discussed. These steps will ensure you have the roadmap towards your solution, and nothing is lost in translation.
Clarify and confirmation is part of effective listening hence I suggest that this technique should be utilised while listening and making notes, post client completes himself with grievance take few minutes to clarify and confirm point by point, this will demonstrate your attentiveness and value you wish to create for your client.
Customer can always have different view or experience in service that we, as a company, may never encountered or considered. It's always the way to listen first, analyze & offer the solution & commitment. That's how we gain customer's trust.
One thing I have found helpful Clarifying and confirming ensure a shared understanding between parties, minimizing misunderstandings and potential disputes. It establishes clear expectations, reduces ambiguity, and promotes effective communication throughout the contract lifecycle. This proactive approach enhances accountability and facilitates a smoother vendor-client relationship.
The fourth technique is to offer a solution that is realistic, reasonable, and acceptable to both you and the client. This means explaining what you can do, what you cannot do, and why, as well as giving options or alternatives if possible. Offering a solution helps you demonstrate your competence and professionalism, as well as your willingness to resolve the complaint. It also helps you build trust and confidence with the client.
It’s important to keep in mind that the solution you offer should be realistic and reasonable. It should be something that you can actually do, and that the client will find acceptable. If you offer a solution that is unrealistic or unreasonable, it may only serve to further frustrate the client. In addition to offering a solution, it’s also important to listen to the client’s concerns and empathize with their situation. This can help you better understand their perspective and work towards a solution that meets their needs. Remember, the goal is to resolve the complaint in a way that is satisfactory to both you and the client.
In my experience it’s sometimes more effective to ask the customer what a good solution would look like to them. It can be much more effective than guessing what would satisfy them. Additionally, when you provide that solution they are more apt to actually be satisfied given it was their solution.
After acknowledging and apologizing, present a clear plan for resolving the issue. Whether it involves immediate action, further investigation, or a timeline for resolution, transparency is key. Outline the steps you will take to address their concerns and ensure that the client is kept informed throughout the process.
What should be do it for a customer care culture , is to know all the procedures and process the business of your organization. - Know how - knowledge Very important elements to improve the business and develop the customer service.
In my experience this is always the solution customers seek. They don’t want to hear why or how. They want to know that you are doing anything you can to resolve their issue and explaining what your limitations are through the process makes the whole situation more manageable.
The fifth technique is to follow up and follow through with the client after the initial contact. This means confirming the agreed solution, sending a written confirmation or summary, and delivering on your promises. Following up and following through helps you ensure that the client is satisfied and that the complaint is resolved. It also helps you maintain a positive and long-term relationship with the client.
I find a firm, open handed slap to the face works well. Followed by a swift kick to the nuts. This interrupts the drama script your client is running subconsciously, allowing room for you to gaslight them more effectively.
In my opinion, demonstrating a sense of urgency and an appropriate level of attention and care to client concerns is key in maintaining trust and confidence in your services. I've turned more clients around by following up and following through on what my team has promised, even if that follow up is just acknowledging we are still working to resolve an issue. Clear and transparent communications are key!
Always good to confirm everything in writing once the client agrees to a solution. Also write a brief summary about what the complaint is and solutions offered. This will showcase professionalism as well as the ability to problem solve. This may even influence a long term relationship with the client.
Every business runs on intent. The intent to grow, scale up, be profitable etc. So the first step to solving customer need is to listen to their issue with the sole intent of solving it.
These techniques may be important ONLY if you come in with a mindset that clients are human beings. I have found this technique to be working, both ways as a seller and client. Being reasonably sympathetic may not resolve a problem in one meeting but it will lead you in the right direction. Don't rush to a resolution even if you don't have anything at the moment, just be there for them.
The sixth and final technique is to learn and improve from the client's complaint. This means analyzing the causes and effects of the complaint, identifying the areas of improvement, and implementing the necessary changes or actions. Learning and improving helps you prevent similar complaints in the future, as well as enhance your service or product quality. It also helps you grow as an account manager and as a professional.
In account management, the one variable we cannot control is the human element. People make mistakes. What is important is the way we handle the mistakes, and how we learn and improve. Continuous improvement is not just a fluffy slogan, it is vital to the success of our business. If we are not always learning and iterating, then we can go stale. Find ways to empower your team to implement new strategies for successful customer experiences. This provides them with ownership over the process and will uncover new thought leaders for the months and years ahead.
Although a small gesture, take the time to personally THANK the client for providing their time, energy and insights regarding the issue or problem. Understanding the details, source and intricacies of a complaint is a valuable gift to any organization to better learn and improve. I've found that taking the time to thank your clients and share your appreciation for their feedback, aids in building a personal connection, trust and fostering long-term relationships.
Mistakes in customer service provide invaluable lessons. Analyzing gaps helps identify areas for improvement, refining processes, and enhancing communication.
It is important to have tools to manage customer experience. A CRM program may help not only in the first steps of the relationship with the client during customer prospecting but also in the last stages in customer retention. Logging all the actions and exchanges related to an account or a concrete product may give us important information to build up strategies for the future. As part of the problem solving, it is also necessary to dive into the problem communicated in the claim and to investigate the root cause. Once the root causes have been defined, we can implement continuously improvements in the process and avoid repetition. As a result, we will improve our brand and reputation.
Every complaint is an opportunity to improve something - the design of a product, the execution of service delivery, etc. Reframing the narrative to a chance to do things better operationally is far more positive than dwelling on the concept of "what we did wrong." Identify the points in the process that contributed to the outcome and lean into the conversation. Was the issue human-based (i.e., someone had a bad day or didn't follow the process), process-based (i.e., the process wasn't comprehensive enough to account for the thing that went wrong), or customer-based (i.e., the product/service wasn't a fit for what the customer was trying to solve). Leaning into the conversation opens doors to delivering more future positive experiences.
Often in sales, when a customer is upset, you're the person that they trust enough to reach out to. If you weren't there, they likely would move on to another supplier. So take their outreach as a positive. You owe it to your customer to advocate for them internally and help to correct the issue, regardless of what department or person is "at fault." Some of the strongest customer relationships I've built in my career came as a result of a customer who was initially upset with the organization I was representing. This is an opportunity for you to solve a problem and forge a stronger relationship on the other side of the issue.
Being proactive rather than reactive enables you to identify potential problems before they escalate into client complaints. Furthermore, upon receiving a complaint, it’s crucial to promptly escalate it to the relevant team or manager. This ensures that a resolution, along with a clear timeline and understanding of the underlying causes, is efficiently provided.
Call your clients post sale, account changes, QBR, no matter what product or service you sell/manage. Check in with them after everything you do. A simple “thank you call” or “how is everything with our service” fosters proactive action. Think about last time you were at restaurant, did the manager wait until meal was over or did they checkin during the meal? Keeping your finger on the pulse allows you you to solve something before it manifests in something you can’t fix.
Let me start off with the extreme: “You’re a terrible therapist.” My response to this is one I’ve used for years. It helps bridge any sort of gap in communication. It’s empathic and curious in nature. Here it is, and why it works: “You know there are times I feel like a terrible therapist. Are there times you’ve felt terrible before?” What this does is disarming to say the least. I offer an olive branch, and yes I do disclose what I do feel at times. The responses are wild: “What are you doing? I don’t get why you’d ask me that.” “Yeah, sometimes I do feel like that.” Often, the responses already pull away from the original dialogue. And now we can go deeper. Of course, if there is a complaint, we should own it and listen as well.
One thing that I have found helpful, is never to shy away from answering the customer call. Preferably meet the customer face-to-face yourself and assess the situation and the damage it has caused to the customer. Even if the problem is small, it may have a larger impact on their business and that’s most critical for any sales person to understand. Immediately afterwards, prepare a remedy action plan in consultation with your company senior executives and the customer execs and act on it right away. There’s no one size fits all solution. So handle the concerns nicely.