Customer Complaints are your Friend. How do you Treat your Friends?

A friend tells you what you need to hear, but don’t always want to. This is why customer complaints are your friend. Let’s dive in.

Listen to those who speak up (many don’t)

According to research, only 4% of customers file a complaint on a company’s website or call center, but 42% of customers will stop shopping with a brand after two bad experiences. For every complaint, you can safely assume 25 customers have been inconvenienced, disappointed or annoyed! A friend is someone who tells you when something is wrong. A customer complaint is that friend.

Seize the opportunity to get better

The complaint is not the problem, it is a sign and an opportunity. It is an opportunity to improve, to better train your staff, to audit your products and processes. It is a chance to better service your customers. A friend is somebody who wants to help. A complaint is that friend.

It’s how you handle it

A complaint is often the first signal of an underlying problem. Retailers rarely lose customers over complaints. They lose customers when complaints are not handled or not handled well. Handing a customer’s complaint actually boosts customer loyalty.

A  satisfied customer is likely to share their satisfaction with their friends and co-workers. Handled well, a complaint become customer loyalty and free “viral” advertising. Handled poorly, a complaint morphs into a lost customer, loss of revenue and a public relations mess. A friend is somebody who wants to keep you away from trouble. A complaint is that friend.

A part of the big picture

A complaint is part of the 360 degree view of store performance. Just like internal processes and KPI’s, customer complaints are part of providing a service to customers. On the road to success, there are the occasional bumps. Accept them, respect their wisdom as you would respect the advice of a close friend.

Customer complaints are our friends. Treat them well.