Learn to Love Customer Complaints

Let’s be honest. Nobody enjoys getting complaints. We’d much rather have a business with lots of great reviews and thumbs-up emojis all over the place. Every firm wants to do a great job, right?

But believe it or not, customer criticism does have an upside. Even if you run an absolutely fantastic business, client gripes can help you improve or even revolutionize your company.

Let me explain…

Most entrepreneurs invest a lot of time and effort into business planning, identifying their best customers, and positioning their products to meet those customers’ needs.?

The problems start when competition enters the picture. And when a company is trying to be better/faster/more appealing than the competition, they’re going to have to figure out barriers to purchase and how to eliminate those obstacles. Complaints can help.

Even “Unreasonable” Complaints Reveal Pain Points

It’s all too easy to call a complaint “unreasonable.” After all, your company does 99% of things right. So why should they gripe about the 1% that wasn’t great?

However, companies need to remember that complaints are just another name for pain points. Customers are telling you that your organization did not meet their needs as expected. Sometimes they do it in a pleasant and articulate way. Other times, customers are incoherent or rude. But don’t let that stop you. It’s your job to overlook the tone and the vocabulary and focus on the pain point.

For example, how do you react to people who complain that “your receptionist was so rude.” There are a variety of possible pain points associated with this remark.

• Your receptionist really is unpleasant and unkind, and no one wants to deal with that.
• Your receptionist is often busy with other tasks and unable to give each person the attention they want.
• When customers come into contact with the receptionist, your customers are stressed out, so even little things may set them off.

So how can you address this complaint? If this actually is a question of the wrong personality in the wrong position, you could fire your receptionist and find a nicer one. But if the problem is an overwhelmed receptionist, think about ways to free them up to focus on customers (reassign filing and phone duties) or get more people to staff the front desk so people always feel heard.

If the person complained because many people come to your offices stressed (such as an urgent care facility, a mental health clinic, or a walk-in to an auto repair shop,) think about ways to relieve the pressure of the visit. For example, should you have a greeter who welcomes everyone, troubleshoots emergencies, offers them a seat, and gets them a cup of coffee? Or should you have a manager on staff to deal with high-pressure customers personally? Should your firm offer check-in through an app? Should you provide free coffee and snacks? Do you have a comfortable waiting room, good lighting, and big-screen TVs?

In this example, solving complaints, even “unreasonable” ones, is a way of removing pain points. And that appeals to everyone. After all, every one of these hypothetical solutions would make a visit to your office more enjoyable for everyone, which means your business model just got a little bit better.

Tiered Service Puts the Customer in Control

Sometimes, removing pain points can be expensive. And some people don’t want to pay for better service. Airlines are a great example. Most airlines offer sale prices and budget seating for price-conscious travelers. If a flier is okay with making one (or two or three) transfers, they can usually fly cheaper. They choose to trade comfort and convenience for lower fares.

But some people just want a great travel experience. That’s why airlines offer upgrades to business class and first class. They cost more, but they remove pain points.

And for an even better experience, many airlines offer frequent flier lounges with private bathrooms, free snacks, excellent wi-fi, plenty of charging stations, and comfortable desks.??

These kinds of tiered offerings allow customers to choose how or if to deal with pain points, and they work in almost any industry.

Stop Making Excuses and Start Leveraging Complaints

Companies have been getting complaints for as long as there have been businesses. So why doesn’t everyone just solve the complaints and get on with it?

Because a few recurring excuses prevent many firms from making a change. In all fairness, the excuses I list here are all valid excuses, but I wouldn’t advise that you let them get in the way of making your business better. So here are some of the top reasons for ignoring complaints.

• Most people don’t complain about that.
• Fixing it would kill my margins.
• That complaint could be made about anyone in my industry. So why should I be the only one to address it?
• To fix that, I’d have to retrain everyone.
• That’s just not how it works in my industry.

The truth is, setting aside excuses in order to provide your customers with the offerings and benefits they most desire is very good business. Solving pain points will differentiate you from the competition and create offerings that allow you to charge more for your product or services. And you can identify these opportunities by listening to complaints.

Time to Get to Work!

Are you ready to create a business that leads your industry? Are you open to making changes that address the complaints of an angry minority? Will you be brave enough to look past excuses? If you answered yes, then you’re already on your way to becoming a more successful, profitable business.