Complaint handling for business success

How good is your customer service – really?

Is the way your individual team members handle complaints supporting your mission for your business, or losing you customers?

A business owner client of mine told me that one of his customers complained to him about how one of his team had been abrasive with him when he made a complaint.

It turned out that the individual had taken a personal dislike to the customer because she found the customer “arrogant”, always wanting “special treatment”.

This particular business’s mission is to provide such spectacular customer service that they are the obvious choice for people requiring their service. That’s the business vision, to be the obvious choice for people requiring the business service. How they do it is to provide spectacular customer service, every time.

But individuals within the business were allowing their egos – their own feelings – to react in such a way that customers were not receiving the level of service that the business mission promised.

When delivering great customer service, we have to leave our own private thoughts and feelings out of it. Everyone in the business has to be bought into the business vision and mission and that includes any suppliers we may subcontract too.

I had a recent experience where my car was damaged as it sat beside the road outside my house.

My insurance company subcontracts the vehicle repair side of their business. The individual dealing with my claim took personal offence at me challenging where he had decided my car would go for repair.

How did I come to that conclusion? Just like the customer of my business client above - by the way he spoke to me of course. Maybe he was just having a bad day – I have to admit I didn’t ask. Because we need to leave excuses out of it and just deliver a good customer experience every time.

I’d been told by the insurance company that I could choose where my car would be repaired. He didn’t like it that I chose a repair centre 40 miles away (which was the nearest reputable repair centre). He told me that that would cause delay.

He made sure it did!

My experience of the insurance company (because they are the one ultimately responsible) spiralled downhill from there with one thing after another until I finally lodged an official complaint.

The insurance company claims that they “always start with [their] customers” but their team and their subcontracted providers are clearly not all personally invested in that.

How do you ensure everyone in your team delivers the great customer service you promise your customers?

?Here are 6 tips to get you started.

(1)?Be clear on your business vision and mission

Every business needs a clear idea of where it’s going, what problem it solves for its customers or what it wants to be known for. This is the business vision.

The business mission is how the business will achieve its vision.

Everyone in the business needs to be reminded continually about the business vision and mission so that they become their own individual vision and mission too.

(2)?Train, train, train

We need to be providing ongoing learning and development opportunities for our team, even if it’s just a regular 15 minute sharing of recent experiences and identifying how we can do things differently next time.

(3)?Self-awareness

How we respond to events is a result of the way we think. So, we need to be more aware of how we think – and choose different thoughts. The guy I mentioned above didn’t like being challenged by a woman – he needs to recognise that (and change it).

(4)?Listen – find out what the customer wants

Everyone wants to be heard and understood. The easiest way to have your customer achieve that is to ask questions and listen. Repeat the issue back in your customer’s words to be sure they know you’ve understood.

(5)?Develop empathy

We need to put our own ego aside and put ourselves in our customer’s shoes. This is another human being you’re dealing with. How are they feeling right now? ?Be kind.

(6)?Be proactive

Rather than coming up with reasons why something can’t be done, find out how you can help this customer. We’re all fed up with the COVID excuse now!

Delivering great customer service is the easiest way to grow a successful business

Satisfied customers become your sales team and share their great customer service stories with their network.

While nobody likes complaints, the way you deal with them can make all the difference too. People will forgive you if you really listen to them and help put things right. But most people won't bother complaining to you directly to give you the opportunity to fix it. They'll just walk and spread the news to their network.

If you’d like to discuss this issue or find out how I can help you and your team, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. ?

Why not take our FREE 2 minute Balanced Business Scorecard test and find out how balanced you are in business and life.

?

?