You have probably seen unfavorable comments about businesses in the media or on social media platforms. Comments about how a customer felt treated badly. These days, it is very easy for disgruntled customers to vent and share their frustration online.
Are you too big to "have to" care? Are you willing to lose a customer over someone dropping the ball within your company? "Customer satisfaction is our #1 priority", many companies tout. How are you achieving this, and how are you backing it up?
Imagine this: You run a small floral shop and one of your employees forgot to process an order for a bouquet delivery on Christmas Eve. Just after you send all your employees home for the holiday, the phone rings with an irate customer on the line. Her order wasn't delivered and she is not happy about it. Regardless of what she may be telling others about your business, what are YOU planning to do about it?
First of all, acknowledge that "you" have made a mistake and that it is understandable that she is upset about it.
Then, ask her how she would have like to have this resolved. Maybe, she just needed to vent and all she wants is a refund.
Maybe she insists that the bouquet still be delivered "now" although it is already late.
And here is where your actions will show whether you are willing to back up your words about "customer satisfaction being your #1 priority", or whether you are willing to lose a customer AND potential repeat business for years to come.
What might look like a one time loss, can potentially cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars over time.
Tell her, that you'd be happy to get the bouquet ready and deliver it personally right away, and you probably have a customer for life.
Making excuses is easy, doing the right thing takes integrity.
Once everything is resolved, you want to find out how this was overlooked in the first place.
Was it a simple oversight (after all we are all human and can make a mistake), or can improving your business procedures eliminate this from happening in the future.
Need help improving your client relations and customer retention?
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