It can be confronting when customers complain about your business – especially if you don’t have the communication skills to handle the situation effectively. Whether they’re complaining about the quality of your products, delivery delays, customer service or another issue, learning how to deal with customer complaints is an unavoidable aspect of running a business.
If you’re trying to improve communication with customers, these tips will help you resolve customer issues and complaints professionally.
Don’t Take It Personally
Try not to take it as a personal attack when a customer makes a complaint about your business. Remain calm and remember that they’re upset with the situation, not with you. It’s natural to feel protective of your business, but going on the defensive will only make matters worse.
Remaining in control of your emotions will allow you to handle the complaint in a professional manner. Even if the customer is rude to you, be the bigger person and keep your cool. This will help calm the customer down and prevent the situation from escalating.
Show Empathy
Practising empathy is one of the easiest ways to improve client communication. No matter what the customer is complaining about (or whether you think their grievance is valid), try to see their side of the argument. We’ve all been unhappy with a business before, so it shouldn’t be hard to imagine how the customer is feeling.
Making an effort to understand the customer’s point of view could also help improve the way you do business. Identifying flaws in your business operations can be difficult from an internal perspective, whereas customers can offer an outsider’s point of view. Complaints can be a hassle to deal with, but listening to them will make your business stronger.
Offer Solutions
Once you’ve got all the details of the complaint, finding a solution should be your priority. Rather than just apologising, providing a tangible resolution will show the customer that you’re taking their complaint seriously.
From refunds and replacement products to free deliveries and discounts, there are plenty of ways to appease an annoyed customer. Just be careful to avoid overpromising when looking for a resolution. Making promises you can’t keep will anger the customer even more.
Let It Go
There’s just no pleasing some people, so don’t waste your time chasing a lost cause. If the customer is determined to cut ties with your business even after you’ve done your best to address their complaint, then you must accept it and let them go. Learn as much as you can from the experience and resolve to do better next time.
Dealing with customer complaints is never fun, but learning how to manage this process professionally is an essential business skill. To get the skills necessary to effectively and professionally communicate with your customers, consider enrolling in the BSB30115 Certificate III in Business or BSB30415 Certificate III in Business Administration with MyPath Education.