Chapter Reviewing the Facts

Of course, It Isn’t always pleasant to hear active comments about what we are doing. Sometimes our feelings get hurt, our ego Is wounded, or the feedback strikes us as, well, stupid. That said; let’s consider a shift In our perspective. Feedback Is a form of coaching. When we work with a coach, he or she Is constantly giving us negative feedback-?and we appreciate It. A golf coach, for example, will correct the way you hold or swing the club and you’re delighted to get the negative feedback. In fact, you pay for all these “complaints. ” Dissatisfaction happens.
What we choose to do about it can make all the difference in reading customer and employee loyalty. To do something about dissatisfaction, we need to know when it is happening-?we need to get the silently dissatisfied customer to speak up by creating open communication channels. (Customer Service: Career Success through customer Loyalty) Chapter 9-Reviewing the Facts 2. – What are the three important steps needed to recover the potentially lost customer? The first step consists of both apology and accountability. Say, “I’m sorry,” and take ownership of a mistake, even if it’s because of supplier or other problems.
Next, work with the customer to determine an appropriate remedy. This involves the customer in the resolution and sometimes uncovers less costly solutions. Resolution should not only address a customer’s direct loss but also compensate “pain and suffering. ” Some refer to such compensation as “atonement. ” Manage expectations with resolution schedules. In one Citibank experiment, specifying time frames for next steps increased customer satisfaction by 40%. Finally, follow-up. Determine whether the customer has received the promised treatment, and, more important, how they feel about it.

One study indicated that a follow-up call to a once-unhappy customer can boost satisfaction by 5%-7%, and intentions to repurchase by 8%-12%. The second level is building integrated customer recovery capabilities In the following four areas: Companies must do more to upgrade the skills, training and pay of customer service representatives, especially since they handle an estimated 65% of all complaints. Other employees must also understand the Importance of customer retention. Ford trains new hires In such recovery skills as Interpersonal communications.
Others regularly rotate employees Into customer service to underscore the Impact of departmental processes on customers. How much authority do employees have to recover customers? Employees at Marriott International, for example, can spend up to $2,500 without authorization to compensate customers. What are the timetables for resolution? Brothels Airways research showed that of customers defected if it took the company longer than five days to respond want level AT complaints trigger corrective Acton? Can any employee handle recovery, or should you depend on special representatives trained for customer recovery?
Customers should be easily able to complain via email, letter or even well-publicized hot lines. Systems should streamline complaint acceptance, and generate complaint-based reports. Insurance giant USA scans every complaint letter into its database. Causes for the complaint are analyzed, and processes examined to avoid similar complaints in the future. To institutionalize improvements, systems should be developed to hold other departments accountable for their actions. Complaint data should also be used to determine investment priorities and service improvements. (Small Business Resources – How to Recover Lost Customers)