For any company, handling customer complaints is an important matter. Because if a complaint is not well handled, the customer may switch to purchasing products from competitors. Customers will also share their unpleasant experiences with friends and colleagues. When there are no customer complaints, they might be happy and sincere, but when there are complaints, it is the duty of the operator to take them seriously and make the customer feel welcomed and that they are very important to the company.
### 1. Start with Listening
As we mentioned in previous chapters, listening is a prerequisite for solving problems. When listening to a complaining customer, such as one using an instant electric water heater, not only should you listen to what they say but also pay attention to their tone and voice quality, which helps you understand the emotions behind their words. At the same time, ensure through explanations and clarifications that you truly understand the customer's problem. For example, after hearing the customer's feedback, explain it back to them based on your understanding:
"Mr. Wang, let me see if I have understood correctly. Two weeks ago, you bought a box of milk from us, but today you found that some of the milk seems to have gone bad. Therefore, you are very dissatisfied and request that we replace the product."
Clarify with the customer: "Have I understood your meaning correctly?"
Carefully listening to the customer, explaining the meaning they expressed, and asking if our understanding is accurate shows respect for the customer and a sincere desire to understand the issue. This also gives the customer an opportunity to restate anything they did not express clearly, then explain the reasons.
"Today in the afternoon, our service personnel went to check and indeed found some issues. The shelf life of milk is 20 days at normal temperature. In low temperatures, it can last 30 days. Your milk went bad because you did not store it in a shaded place but left it on the balcony. With the recent cold weather, this caused the spoilage. Therefore, we suggest you pay attention to the shelf life, do not store it for too long, and keep it in a cool, shaded place for better preservation."
### 2. Acknowledge the Customer's Feelings
When customers complain, they often display various emotions such as frustration, disappointment, discouragement, and anger. You should not interpret these expressions as personal dissatisfaction towards you. Especially when the customer is angry, you might think internally, "Why are they taking their anger out on me? My attitude has been so good." Remember that anger generally subconsciously needs a carrier to vent. If you kick a stone, it’s not the stone's fault, but rather your reaction. If you can't find something else to vent on, you might end up yelling at yourself. So regarding anger, the customer merely sees you as a listener.
The customer's emotions are completely justified and deserve the utmost attention and the fastest, most reasonable resolution. So let the customer know that you fully understand their feelings and care about their issue:
"Mr. Wang, I am sorry for making you feel unpleasant. I fully understand how you feel right now."
Whether the customer is always right or not, at least in their world, their emotions and demands are real. Only by synchronizing with the customer's world can the operator truly understand their problem, find the most appropriate way to communicate with them, and lay the foundation for successful complaint resolution.
Sometimes saying sorry can be uncomfortable because it seems like admitting a mistake. Saying "I'm sorry" or "I apologize" does not necessarily mean that you or the company made a mistake. It mainly expresses regret and sympathy for the customer's unpleasant experience.
Don’t worry that acknowledging the customer's feelings will make them more fragile. Expressing understanding will guide the customer's thoughts towards resolving the issue.
So next, the operator should:
### 3. Show Willingness to Help
"Let me see how I can assist you."
"I am willing to solve your problem."
As previously stated, when the customer is focused on solving the problem, the operator's empathetic offer to help naturally makes the customer feel secure and reassured, further reducing negative emotions and replacing them with trust.
Once the problem is clarified and the customer's emotional state has improved, the operator should proceed to provide a solution for the customer.
### 4. Resolve the Problem
Each company should have various contingency plans or solutions for customer complaints.
When seeking system-wide solutions, operators should note the following points:
1. Provide Options to the Customer
Typically, there isn't just one solution to a problem. Giving the customer options makes them feel respected, and the chosen solution will receive more recognition and cooperation from the customer during implementation.
2. Honestly Commit to the Customer
It is best if the customer's problem can be resolved promptly, but some issues may be complex or special, and the operator may be unsure how to resolve them. If uncertain, do not make any promises to the customer. Instead, honestly inform them that the situation is a bit special, and you will try your best to find a solution but need a little time. Then agree on a time to follow up with the customer, and you must ensure that you call them back on time. Even if you still cannot resolve the issue by then, you should call and explain the progress of the problem, show your efforts, and renegotiate the time to answer the customer.
Compared to promising things you cannot deliver, your honesty will more easily earn the customer's respect.
3. Appropriately Compensate the Customer
To compensate for errors in the company's operations, you can offer additional compensation while resolving the customer's problem. Many companies give their operators a certain amount of authority to handle situations flexibly. However, two things must be noted: first, solve the problem before offering compensation; second, improvements should prevent similar problems from happening again. Some complaint handling departments tend to immediately offer small favors or benefits to settle complaints, or they only give what the customer should have received under normal circumstances. This does not fundamentally reduce the occurrence of problems and instead creates mistaken expectations.