Page 170 - Paulisms: Gold Nuggets for Small Business

Customer Service
7.1 Handling complaints
Hometech has an awesome reputation for great customer service. But when you are installing 1,000 products a month, you are going to get some complaints. When I had a complaint, I moved quickly with a phone call to acknowledge the complaint. I ensured the complainant, if need be, that I could organise a face-to-face visit by the licensee or employee to discuss the problem. This is key, as often people just don’t expect you to front the issue. The customer wasn’t always right, but in my eyes they were. Why argue? Make them happy. Often we used to just put our hand in our pocket and fix it, in quick time. It is extremely important to fix it quickly. The longer you leave it, the more you are digging a hole and it’s harder to find a solution.
Never try to fix a problem by email. Email can be impersonal and the text does not always convey the emotion you wish to express. Often the message is misinterpreted and it is too easy to be replied to in a blunt manner. Speaking in person to the person making the complaint creates a friendlier platform for solving any issue. It is too easy to hide behind email and also allow the tone to get aggressive.
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