No business is perfect, yours and mine included. And while I think we strive to do our very best work and serve our customers well 100% of the time, we can’t control every situation or any interaction. “Back in the day” you might face an angry visit from a customer or a call or letter. You knew who they were and you could respond. In the world of online review sites and social networks, a company can take a beating and never know who the angry party is (or if their complaint is warranted).
Customers can leave reviews on a whole host of sites and you should set up a Google Alert with your company name so you can monitor these comments. You should also set up a search column for Twitter and do a periodic review of Facebook for comments. Knowing what is going on (reputation management) is half the battle.
If you come across a complaint, DON’T IGNORE IT. Attempt to take the party to a private venue like direct mail/message in Twitter or Facebook or email if you have that. Get them out of public view if possible. And then, ask if you can make a phone call to them.
Get more information. Thoroughly investigate the issue. This is an amazing chance for real feedback and this angry customer may be voicing what many others have not. The others simply don’t do business with you again. Learning what the problem is could, in fact, be the best thing that happened to your business long-term – if you take action.
Ask how you can make amends. Don’t just throw a coupon their way. That may not be what they need. Do your best to meet their request AND ask for a second chance. You grow more loyalty by resolving an issue than if you’d never had an issue to resolve! Encourage them to let readers know that they were cared for satisfactorily, but don’t make it about that.
It is a new world folks! Social media, augmented reality apps, video and email all allow customers to have a voice and visibility they’ve never had before. Use this to your advantage and learn from your mistakes. ALL of your customers will be better off.
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