Tuesday 26 February 2013

04:08 -

How should we handle the customer’s complaints?

                A career in any industry, be it at the front office, managing the other staff of dealing with customers, can be managed smoothly if we develop our listening skills, especially when facing customer complaints. Listening skills have to be mastered because the customers you face are not the same always. We may come across a customer, who is drunk, may get belligerent or even violent if offended. Listening and being sympathetic are your best first lines of defense. You may sometimes come across another category of customers who are not satisfied with the treatment that they have received. These also should be attended with patient hearing.

Handling customer complaints need not have to be a battle always. With the right tools arid responses you can turn complaints to your advantage; to help you build your business. How do you deal with your customer complaints? The easiest way to find out is to pick up the phone and play the role of the complaining customer. If you are very much irritated with the service you get or lithe person on the other side doesn’t listen to your complaints, would you return to the same place? lii such cases, you need to create a standardized method for dealing with your complainers and turn them into loyal customers.
One of the, great tools used in this connection is the technique of BLAST. The acronym stands for:
1. Believe: This is the cornerstone of handling a customer complaint. The customers may be lying and be incorrect about their situation. It is important to understand that your customers believe that your establishment has wronged them. You should listen to the problem and show that you believe in what they say. “The customer is always right!!”
2. Listen: Stop and listen to your customer’s complaint. While listening, engage in active listening where you either nod or repeat some words to assure the customer that you are ‘really’ listening to the complaint. It is a natural instinct that as soon as a customer starts to complain, we start to think of how we will respond to the accusation before we listen till the end. We will be rehearsing the response to be given to the complainer and keep ourselves ready to fight back, Take a second, relax, and listen, there are occasions where a complaining customer will be rude, angry, and use vulgar language. As a professional and a practiced listener, stay the course and remain calm and level headed. When the customer is done venting; in a calm, nonjudgmental tone, repeat their problem. Here is an example of how a sales assistant at a medical shop deals with an angry customer “What I hear you saying is that you came in, asked for and paid for 20 tablets of Bitahistine and when you got home, you discovered that you only received 18, is that correct?
By repeating the problem at hand, you’ve demonstrated your ability to the customer that you heard and understood his problem. Never defend or justify. A patient and active listening is the best answer to satisfy even the most short-tempered customer.
 
3. Apologize: Always apologizes even if you did nothing wrong. From yaw customer’s perspective, they have a legitimate complaint, and they expect an apology. It could be as simple as “I’m sorry we’ve caused you terrible inconvenience.’ A sincere apology will usually diffuse a lot 01 frustration that the customer has. There is an exception to this rule though, if a customer calls with a critical complaint, such as allergic reaction of a medicine which has been just administered to him, don’ apologize, it may be construed as an acceptance of guilt! Instead, ref e to your company’s procedures for such events.

4. Satisfy: Satisfied customer not only returns to your organization for second time, but also advertises about his satisfaction to many of hi friends and thereby improves your business! Be the judge of what is fair but allow them the opportunity to feel empowered over the situation Many times they may ask for the problem to be set right before their next visit or that you must talk to the person, who made the mistake an correct him. You can also develop a system of sending out personalized postcard apologizing for the mistake. You can also extend a special treat to your regular customer to show that you care for him.
5. Thank: At the beginning, at the end, in the middle; it doesn’t matter, thank the customer for calling and complaining. Always try to think positively. With the simple act of complaining, your customer is telling you “I care about your business and your success. They are giving you the opportunity to fix the problem and invite them back so they can give you more of their money. Thank them for giving you that second chance, for telling you know that something in your organization didn’t work like it normally does, for giving you the chance to make it right, and for the opportunity not to damage your reputation!