As hard as you try, there will always be someone not satisfied with the service you provide. Responding to complaints can be tricky because you do not want to sacrifice the integrity of your business or your customer base. Respond to a customer service complaint by acknowledging the mistake, paying attention to detail, and offering follow-up conversations.
Acknowledge the Mistake
The first thing you should do when a customer complains is to acknowledge a mistake if there is one, or express sympathy. Acknowledging a mistake does not mean accepting blame. Rather, it admits that there was something less than satisfactory for your customer, and you have a desire to change it. About 91 percent of customers who have a complaint will stop doing business with that company. Therefore, it is vital to make your customers feel like they have been heard and you have a desire to fix it. Even if you can’t fix what happened to them, you can stop it from happening in the future.
Source: https://customerthink.com/6-reasons-your-customers-do-not-complain/
Pay Attention to Detail
There are different solutions for each issue, and it is important you pay attention to detail when delicately crafting your response. Be sure to thank the customer for expressing their concerns, apologize, and outline your plan to remedy the situation. In closing, you should provide a signature to protect yourself from potential lawsuits, but more importantly to add a personalized touch to the message. Signatures help maintain a personalized relationship with the customer. When they feel they have a connection to you, they are much more likely to be loyal and give you more opportunities.
Source: https://www.podium.com/article/adverse-action-letter-sample/
Follow Up with Your Customer
Once you have remedied the situation, it is wise to follow up with your customer for their approval. Check to see if your customer is happy with your solution. If they are happy, they will likely forgive you and continue doing business with you. They may amend a previously negative review, which can increase the attractiveness of your company for other potential clients. It is better to over-communicate and establish a strong relationship with your customer because it shows how much you care.
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/service/respond-to-customer-complaints
Customer complaints are a part of doing business. Navigate your way through their complaints with grace and patience by acknowledging the mistake, paying attention to detail, and following up after a solution has been reached. This is the best way to solve problems and retain customers.
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