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Handling Customer Complaints: A Complete Guide

by Alice Jackson Tweet - in Business Branding

Customer Complaints

Last updated on September 30th, 2023

A solid customer base matters the most for the steady growth of a business. But convincing and satisfying them are more challenging since they have plenty of options in any given niche. Unsatisfied customers can always switch their loyalty and find some more rewarding business. Therefore, tracking customers’ satisfaction and improving on that is much more critical than ever. That is why customer complaints need to be handled professionally.

In the modern competitive business world, customer satisfaction is core to doing a roaring business. Most brands have their own mechanisms to deal with customer complaints. They understand that an unsatisfied customer will promote a negative image of the company, which can generate bad publicity.

This leads us to a significant issue of handling customer complaints effectively. First, your new or established brand must put in place a customer service that works well.

First, know that businesses have to deal with a wide range of customer complaints. So, your customer service must be efficient and effective in handling all those complaints professionally. You have to be emotionally strong since many such complaints may be irritating.

Here Are The Significant Steps To Take When Handling Customers’ Complaints

It is natural for you to fail to manage your anger when a dissatisfied customer misbehaves. But that will only worsen the situation. But keeping these tips in mind, you can still take control of the situation.

01. Remain Calm, Relaxed, and Collected

When pondering how to handle a customer complaint, the first thing to consider is to stay calm. It may be difficult if the customer yells at you and says something you want to listen to. However, don’t take that personally. They are mad at your company and not at you.

So, never lose your temper and keep calm even when your customers are angry and upset. If they are abusive, tell them politely to behave well. If they do not, you should end the call.

02. Listen To Their Problems

Make sure you listen to your customer’s problems patiently. When a dissatisfied customer isn’t heard by anyone and getting a solution, they may get frustrated. In such a situation, you ought to show empathy.

Tell them their problem is genuine, and they have the right to be upset. Say something that they can relate to comfort them. You should bring down their tension by assuring them that your company will resolve the issue quickly.

For instance, you may be running a logo design service and should be prepared to attend to customer complaints. You must listen to their problems carefully and provide them with the right solutions.

03. Acknowledge Their Problem

Help desk ticketing system is one of the top methods to prioritize customers complaints. Do not make the mistake of blaming customers for their problems, even if it is their fault. Instead, give them the impression that it is the company’s fault and will be rectified soon. Also, do not offer excuses since they do not want to hear them.

All you need to do is to accept that the problem exists and that your company apologizes and will resolve it.

04. Get Your Facts

Make sure you have all the relevant tips and information at your fingertips. Then, you can quickly answer your customers’ queries with the information in your hand. You can direct them to take the proper steps to solve the problem. One of the complaints about customer service is that customers are not provided with the facts.

A customer calls you for help. So, guide them well. If you cannot resolve their issues immediately, tell them you will call them back with the solution. But ensure that your solution works for them, or they will call back with the same issue.

So, customer satisfaction depends largely on to what extent your customers can follow your step-by-step guide to resolve their issues.

05. Thank Them For Highlighting The Problem

Remember to thank your complaining customers even when you cannot provide the solution immediately. Thanking is something that everyone to acknowledge that the other person did a good job. When you thank your customers while complaining, they will treat you as a good person. That, in turn, speaks volumes of the brand you represent. So, thanking the customers is also a way to build a good brand reputation.

So, thank your complaining customers for their time and for bringing up the issue to the company’s notice. By thanking them, you make them feel they are unique to the company’s product or service and overall growth.

06. Do Not React Emotionally

Another essential thing to note when thinking about addressing customer complaints is that you don’t react emotionally to persistent customer queries. However, there may be instances where you encounter a rude customer misbehaving and erupting in rage.

But do not let your emotions get in the way. Do not react violently; instead, calmly listen to what the customer says and reply to the information professionally in a calm voice.

07. Support The Customer

While having a conversation with the complaining customer, it would be good to offer your support. You can offer it in a variety of ways. Sometimes, listening to them even more, is good enough to satisfy them. Alternatively, you may suggest exchanging a defective piece for the newer one. That will delight the customer.

Note that lending your support will mean you give the customer something when they complain. When a company assures that it will replace a defective piece with a newer one, it helps build trust in the brand.

08. Think of Ways To Compensate

Do not let an unhappy customer go away without answering the questions and solving the problems. However, if you cannot provide a solution when you respond to the customer complaint, think of ways to compensate the customers for winning trust.

For instance, offer the customer some gift cards to a coffee shop. Also, you can offer them coupons or discounts on a costly product alternative.

09. Ensure They Pay Attention To Your Suggestions

After you suggest a solution, make sure that customers understand what you said. You should not be forcing yourself on a customer while begging for attention. But after the discussion is over, ask the customers if they understand the issue and its solution. The intention here is to leave a customer satisfied.

This also means that you should describe your point in clean language that customers can understand. You must avoid heavy words or technical jargon when discussing the product. Just talk about the possible solutions in simple language.

10. Offer A Sincere Apology

You should end your conversation with the complaining customer with a sincere apology for the problem. Let the customers know that you are sorry for the inconvenience caused to them. Thank that they give your company a chance to find out the solution with them.

Even when the customer is not fully satisfied with your solution, the apology considerably leaves a positive impression on your company.

11. Follow-Up

Now that you have followed all the steps, you should not think your job is over. Your company should still be following that customer. Find out how else you can serve the customer. It would be better if your management tracks the complaining customer for 24 to 48 hours. That will signal that you care for the customer.

So, how about sending a handwritten note to the customer’s home address? Then, of course, you can also call them personally and say thank you.

These are essential tips for efficiently managing your customer grievance redressal service. Make sure your customer service improves, and take the utmost care of your target audience by attending to their queries professionally.

You may also look forward to creating unique visual identities for your business. Designhill can help you in designing outstanding visuals. You can use this leading creative marketplace as your logo maker, a DIY software. With this software, you can access many logo ideas for your brand.

Are You Looking for a New Graphic Designer?If Yes, Call Us on +1-855-699-2851 [times for calling 9am to 6pm EST (US)] or Register for a Free Design Consultation

Wrapping Up

A business must professionally address customer complaints. Customer care personnel should patiently listen to customers and provide them with the best possible solutions. Do not react emotionally or violently. Instead, satisfy and reward them with the right solutions.

Alice Jackson is a business consultant, blogger, social media enthusiast, online market analyst, amateur designer and an avid author at Designhill. She has written on several topics including social media marketing, SEO, content marketing, startup strategies and e-commerce. When she’s not writing, she loves spending her time reading romantic novels, Connect with her on Twitter: @jackson_alice1

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