PeggyWynneBorgman

AdamsHubCommunityCurator

TheZenofCustomerComplaintResolution

Thecustomerisalways…what?

Pssst.Yourcustomerserviceisshowing.

Aretoday’scustomershardertoplease?

“Theroadtosuccessispavedwithmistakeswellhandled.”

Theissueisnotwhetheryourcompanyisgoingtohavecustomerservice“fails”.It’showwellyourespondwhenthesedo occurthatcounts.

-StanleyMarcus,NeimanMarcus

Amistakepoorlyhandledwillsnowball

• Eveninnon-onlineWOM,anunhappycustomertells9others,whileahappycustomertellsjust3others(itturnsintoa75-personinfectioninoneweek)• Onlinereviewsitesturnthe“snowball”intoanavalanche ofnegativeWOM

Complaintsareanopportunitytoimproveserviceforeverycustomer…

• Expressedcomplaintsarejustthetipoftheiceberg• 96%ofcustomerswillnotmaketheircomplaintknowntoyou• Takeeverycomplaintseriously,nomatterhowannoying!

Complaintswellhandledcanstrengthenrelationships

•Howyouhandleerrorsandresolvecomplaintsisthemostimportant“momentoftruth”yourcompanyfaces•YourbiggestfanscanstartasPITAs(theycareenoughtocomplain)

CustomersandOnlineReviewers

•Treatthecomplainingonlinereviewerjustasyouwouldsomeonecomplainingtoyouinperson• Ithasgotteneasiertocomplain…butthat’sagoodthing(really!)

Yes,it’sscary!

•Theadrenalinerushofdealingwithanangrycustomerisequivalenttothatoffacingalifethreateningevent!•Withagood“system”it’smuchlessscary

Sixstepstohealingacustomerservicefail

1. Beawareandobservant2. Expressgratitude3. Apologizesincerely4. Listenandempathize5. Makeamends6. Followup

AWARENESS:theounceofprevention

• Expecttheunexpected• Anticipatepossibleoutcomesofdifficultsituations• Patroltoprevent• Observecustomerbehavior• Don’tburyyourheadinthesand

• “Checkin”withyourcustomer

AWARENESS:checkinatcheckout

• AskSPECIFICneutralquestions• RIGHT:“Whatdidyouthinkofthesalmonfondue?”• WRONG:“Howwaseverything?”

•Makeiteasy tocomplain:showthatyou’reinterestedinthetruth!• Customerfeedbacktools• Sincereinterest• “Howcanwemakeyournextvisitevenmoreenjoyable?”

ExpressGratitude• Nooneexpectstobethanked forcomplaining• Reducesfrustrationandanger• “Thankyouforlettingmeknow.It’sverygenerousofyou.”• “Mostpeoplewouldhavegoneawaymad.I’mgratefulforthechancetomakethisrightforyou.”

ACKNOWLEDGEthemishapandAPOLOGIZEforit

•Acknowledgetheproblemanditsimpact• Customerswantyoutobeaware,firstandforemost

•Apologize—it’sfree!• “I’msorrythiswassuchadisappointingexperience.”• “I’msosorrythatwedroppedtheball.”

Makesuretheyknowyou’re“ontheirside”

•Theywillbemorecombativeiftheyperceiveyouasa“gatekeeper”notastheir“agent”*

*“SettingtheTable”byDannyMeyer

Assumeresponsibility.

•Resisttheurgeto“over-explain”•Don’tgetdefensive•Don’tcriticize,blameorscapegoatco-workers,eveniftheyareatfault

Don’tdiminishitsimportance

• “Don’tworry,it’snobigdeal,”isnot whatshewantstohear.•Customerswanttofeelheard first,havetheirproblemfixedsecond.

ENABLEthecustomertovent

• Createa“safespace”forthemtoventabouttheirexperience• Unlesstheywant tomakeascene,they’llacceptyourinvitation• “Iwanttogiveyoumyundividedattention…canwesitdowntotalk?”

Let‘emvent!

• It’saboutactivelistening• Sympatheticsounds

•Ventingcan’tbeinterrupted• Showempathy• Don’tproblem-solveprematurely•Waitforthe*sigh*

ActiveListening• BREATHE!!!It’snotaboutyou.Getoveryourself.• Focusonthem.Makesuretheyfeelheard.• A“deeplisteningexperience”isoneinwhichyouareopentochangingyourmind• “Seekfirsttounderstand,thentobeunderstood.”–StevenCovey,TheSevenHabitsofHighlySuccessfulPeople

Upsetvs.Abusive Customers

•Abusivecustomersdonotwanttobehelped•Abusivecustomerstrytoruinothers’experience•Theyuseprofanityandmakeascene

• “Ifyoucontinuetospeaktomeinthismanner,Iwillhavetoendourconversation.”• “Outofconsiderationforourothercustomers,Imustaskyoutoleave.”

TimetoProblemSolve!

•Clarifyinformation•Askmoredetailedquestions•Gaindeeperunderstandingofsituation

AFFIRMtheirfaithinyou

“I’mgoingtodoeverythinginmypowertomakethisrightforyou.”

AMENDS:restoretheirfaithinyourcustomercare

• ThegoalistomakesureyourcustomerknowsyouCANdoitright!• The“punishment”shouldfitthe“crime”• Ifmoneywasallthatmattered…theywouldn’tbespendingit.

Amends101

n Projectconfidenceandcompetence• Ifyouhavenoideahowit

happened,howcanyoupreventitfromhappeningagain?

• Offerasolutionquickly• Delaysincreasefrustration• Empoweryourcustomerserviceteamtoresolveissueswithouthavingto“askmymanager”

Amendscomeinallshapesandsizes

• Offeradiscount• Compapurchase• Provideagift• Givethemanupgrade• Upgradetheirloyaltyprogramstatus• Invitethemtoparticipateonacustomeradvisoryboard• Refundtheirmoney

Whatifthey’retryingtoscamus?

• Ithappens,butrarely.• Don’tdeprivetheinnocentcustomerofyourempathybecauseyou’reafraidofbeingtakenforaride• Documentit.Opportunistsoftenstrikemorethanonce.

Amends:Don’tthrowmoneyattheproblem

• Clientsmaybeinsultedifyouaretooquicktorefundanddon’tappearinterestedinsolvingtheproblem• Theythinkyou’repayingthemtogoaway• Theywanttoknowitwon’thappenagain—tothemoranyoneelse

Amends:Bring‘embackalive!

• Indicateyourwillingnesstorefund,evenifyouofferothersolutions:• “Iwouldbehappytoprovideyouwithafullrefund,though* I’mhopingthatyou’dprefertoreturnfora______,asourVIPguest,sowecangiveyoutheexperienceyouexpectedanddeserve.”

Yourofferofamendsisrejected.Whatnow?

•Don’tpanic—thesolutioniscloserthanyouthink• Collaboratewiththeguest• “Peggy,IrealizeIhaven’tyetmadethisrightforyou.Whatdoyouthinkwouldbeafair solution?”• Theydon’ttypicallywantMORE.Theywantsomethingdifferent.

Amends,PartTwo:FOLLOWUP

•Followuptomakesuretheguestwascompletelysatisfiedwiththeoutcome(hopeforthebest…gettheworst)• Showsthemyoureallycareabouttheirhappiness

Don’tletithappenagain!

•Document,document,document!• Ifitisuniquetothecustomer,noteontheiraccount• Ifitisaflawedprocess,championitsimprovement• Ifit’sachallengeforanemployee—coach,watch,andbepreparedto“freeuptheirfuture”ifneedbe

•FlagthecustomerasaVIPonfuturevisits• LightningDOESstriketwice• Ifthe“issue”isuniquetothecustomer,ensurethatitwon’timpactthemagain

Practicemakesperfect!

•Don’twait.Rehearse!•Roleplaywithyourteam• “Fake”angerisveryeffectiveatpreparingyoufortherealstuff• Taketurnsplayingthecustomer.• Pickanissueorsituationinyourbusinessthathashappenedmorethanonce

OnlineComplaintResolution

•Treatthemasyouwouldsomeonecomplaininginperson•Neverevereveraskcustomerstogiveyouagoodrevieworamendabadone•Onlyuse“publicresponse”onreviewsitesasanabsolutelastresort

You’rereadyforyournext“opportunity”!

“It’snotpersonal.It’sbusiness.”

- TheGodfather

ReputationManagement

•ManyofthecompaniesintheRMspaceareuseless• Proactivelysolicitingreviewsfromactualcustomersisthebestwaytogetmorepositivereviews• I’veusedthesecompaniessuccessfullytoheadoffdamagingcomplaints,drivereferralsandbringupratings

Thankyouforcoming!

MyCustomerLoveBibliography:

• AComplaintisaGift,JanelleBarlow• BrandedCustomerService,JanelleBarlow• RavingFans,KenBlanchard• SettingtheTable,DannyMeyer• OutsideIn,KerryBodine