Handle Customer Complaints Quickly

Customer service is the interaction a person experiences when conducting business with a company or an individual. The experience can be positive or negative. Successful businesses train their staffs on how to handle customer complaints quickly.


Steps
1. Listen to the customer concerns. Generally, concerns over an issue can be handled without it becoming a complaint. The manner in which the concern is handled will determine the intensity of the problem. Get the customer's name, address and phone number. 
Acknowledge the problem by asking the customer to give details
Do not take the complaint personally. This could result in a biased decision.


2. Give the customer an opportunity to explain the problem without interruptions. Constantly interrupting the customer will only add fuel to the problem and may end in a shouting match.

• Put yourself in the customer's place. Everyone has experienced bad service at some point.
• Interrupting the customer will make the person feel your concern with the problem is not genuine.
• Apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding.
• Contact the correct party and explain the situation in the event you are not the right person to handle the complaint.

3. Don't automatically take an employee's side against the customer.

• Write down information regarding the interaction with the customer and how the situation was handled, if applicable. Give a copy of the information to your immediate supervisor.

4. Ask questions to clarify the problems and the causes.

• Many times the problem may not be with the price, merchandise or service, but with an employee's negative attitude while dealing with the customer.
• If language is a problem, find someone that speaks the customer's language for clear communication to expedite matters.
• Explain to the customer that all feedback by a customer is valued by the company.

5. Find out how the customer wants the issue resolved. The resolution could be in the form of a replacement, refund, exchange, store credit or discount on price.

• If the customer's request can be met, explain the time it takes to process or what it will entail to make it happen.
• When a date is given to the customer, make sure the date is kept, or the delay is explained by a follow-up call or email.

Tips

• Always follow up with the customer to ensure the complaint was handled in a quick and courteous manner.

Warnings

• Unsolved customer complaints can have a negative effect on a company's image.