No one likes to be at the receiving end of Customer Complaints but as they say Customer is the King and hence one has to take all the customer feedbacks, complaints, and advices positively as well as handle them properly.
In any type of industry businesses face Customers daily and hence its important to not just value them but also listen, understand and acknowledge their complaints and try to solve them in the best possible way possible.
We are going to discuss here some very basic rules of handling customer complaints:
1. Be Honest in your Terms and Conditions and if possible display them at Sale points
Many times Customers come back to you asking for refund. If you are a Hotel and provide lodging its not possible that after a customer stays at your room and comes back to you and asks for a refund to process it.
Similarly Digital Goods once sold can’t be taken back because there is no way to measure whether the person will use it or not.
Hence the terms and conditions of refund or the refund policy should be displayed wherever possible and mostly at the checkout point so that customers have to read the terms and conditions and then acknowledge and accept and get your services.
This way there would be less hassle later on for you as a business.
2. Be Polite even though the consumer misbehaves
Many customers are rude and at times misbehave but as a business when writing back or addressing them we as business should always remain calm and polite. If you can’t handle it yourself ask a staff who is very calm and humble to handle the same for you. This way at least others will know that this business cares for their customers and isn’t rude.
3. Never use any abusive language or communication while writing back to a customer
We understand many customers can be rude and can even be personal but as mentioned above never write back in any abusive language and never address in such language in public forums otherwise it ridicules the brand image and name of the business or service.
4. Try to offer a solution
Always try to offer a solution to the problems that have been faced by the customer so that they can later acknowledge that their problem was solved and others can also see that you as a business did solve your customer complaint properly.
5. Try to offer an alternative solution
Many times whatever customer is asking is not possible and sometimes impossible in cases like these we should offer them an alternative solution since Customer is the King we can’t ignore them as they might post the same review at several places online and offline plus bad mouth publicity. Hence try to offer an alternative solution so that at least client understands that there problems are being addressed and their money isn’t gone waste completely.
6. If there has been a mistake correct it
Many business don’t acknowledge their mistake and be honest about it. If there has been an honest mistake accept it and then try to rectify it as soon as possible so that it doesn’t do more harm and more customers don’t complain about the same. Recently cars being recalled and electronic devices being recalled by Big Brand Names suggest that they are also being honest about these mistakes.
7. Apologize for the mistake
No one can complain if you apologize for your mistake and be honest about it and rectify it as well.
8. Listen to your customers and try to be in their place and think
Many times customers do have a valid point and trying to think as in their place and trying to understand the value proposition makes many businesses realize mistakes and hence have a very different approach towards customer service.
9. Always respond to complaints
Many times businesses or services ignore complaints by their customers. One shouldn’t ignore complaints and address them so that other prospective customers of yours can actually check that you responded and actually care about your customers.
10. Always have facts ready
Many times complaints are posted because of miscommunication and this is the time when having your facts as a business ready with you helps you more.
11. Write in less words but address issues properly
Don’t write stories while addressing any complaint. People don’t have time and they don’t want to know all about your problems. All they care is a solution to their problem. Hence write in the minimum words as possible and address their issues properly.
At last at SKT Themes as well:
We do not offer refunds as do many people giving digital goods but we do reasonably listen and try to solve plus offer support and a free theme to make it valuable upto $48
