(Originally published 07/08/2013)
Many disgruntled customers like to grumble amongst themselves when they feel wronged by a company or business, but how many take the extra step to seek to have the issue resolved?Not many, the surveys say. In fact, studies have shown that most will just simply take their business elsewhere, while telling as much as 15 other people about their negative experience. But if you’re one of those who do decide to seek redress, following these steps will ensure you get a resolution from your complaint.
A customer related an experience from several years ago when he purchased a pack of Lasco Oats Porridge only to find that the pack was virtually devoid of oats (lots of milk powder though!). He took up the phone and contacted the customer service division. The company apologized for the error (which he recognised was not in any way intentional), and sent him a huge gift basket which not only satiated his displeasure but also introduced him to other Lasco products he didn’t know about. Bottom line, speaking up gives the company a chance to resolve issues which oftentimes they have no idea exist. If it’s a product or service you really care about, give them a chance to make things right.
An application for internet service from Flow turned into a two-week nightmare for one woman in 2010, all because the company claimed to have a previous application from the same applicant on their system when this one was made. As it turns out, the hold-up was caused by two sales reps fighting over commission! Several agents promised to resolve the matter but to no avail. Fed up, the customer dialed customer care and asked firmly for a supervisor and relayed the problem. Within 24-hours, the service was installed.
Sometimes customer service goes wrong on the front line because there is no clear direction from the management team as to how certain situations should be handled. The company may well have a policy to deal with customer conflicts but this is not always communicated to the staff members who deal with the public on a daily basis. If you find that you’re not getting anywhere with the front line staff, ask for a supervisor or head of department and be sure to get the individual’s name to hold them accountable.
Follow up
When a LIME agent sold one customer $300 worth of used phone credit, customer care promised to compensate her while the company investigated. A day later, the credit still had not arrived. A follow up call to customer care, and a conversation with the supervisor on duty resulted in the full amount including tax being credited to the phone. Don’t just lodge a complaint and leave it hanging. Follow through to ensure that you get results.
It is in every company’s interest that issues are resolved to the satisfaction of the customer. Even if negative feelings still linger, the customer will recall how much of an effort you made to find a satisfying solution. That is how customer loyalty is created.