Page 91 - Delivering Authentic Customer Experiences

Principle 6 Delivering Authentic Customer Experiences

Handling complaints effectively

God created the world in six days. On the seventh day, he
rested. On the eighth day, he started getting complaints.
And it hasn't stopped since.

If James Scott Bell’s claim is to be believed, even the best service
providers get complaints. It’s therefore imperative to have a good
strategy to deal with them and ensure your team are fully aware
of it before they happen.

What is worthwhile remembering is that every complaint is
important for the customer, otherwise they wouldn’t have
bothered bringing it to your attention by email, in person, or via
social media. Ignore it or belittle it at your peril. There is no magic
formula for dealing with customer complaints. However, here is a
7-step process which will act as an effective guide to approaching
difficult interactions with your customer.

Step 1
Take responsibility for the situation and your own and the
company’s actions. Apportioning blame looks very unprofessional
and weakens your position. Ensure you are clear about the
outcome you want from this interaction. Ideally, it should be to
maintain a positive, long term, profitable relationship with your
client. It’s important you keep focussed on this outcome during
the whole process. Don’t allow yourself to take things too

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