Face it: Mistakes happen. A LOT more than you’d like to admit. So how can you fix the mistakes and turn angry customers into customers who not only are satisfied but who will refer you business?
Keep reading to learn about service recovery made very simple!
Start by agreeing with your customer – Find something about your customer’s complaint to agree with. This doesn’t mean you say you’re sorry, or that you take responsibility for every error in the situation, or that you agree with everything your customer has said. Instead, in a non-defensive tone, agree with something.
“You’re right Mr. Smith. We didn’t call you on Tuesday as you requested.”
Agreeing with something shows understanding. To your customer, mutual understanding means it’s now you and your customer against the problem, instead of you and the problem against the customer. And this is the ONLY position you want to be in – the business of fixing your client’s problems.
Offer options to fix the situation (that you are sure you can deliver FAST) – One of the biggest mistakes in customer service is asking the client what they want you to do to fix the problem. Sometimes this is the right thing to do, if you have the time, budget and authority to do ANYTHING the customer wants. Often you won’t be able to do exactly what your customer asks you to do, so beat them to the punch and offer 3 great solutions, no more no less, that you can deliver right and deliver fast. Doing so will offer your customer a choice, and they will feel empowered and know that you care about them.
Deliver the fix – Now that the client has said what they want you to do, DO IT NOW! Put your best technician on the problem NOW and get it fixed ASAP! The sooner you can fix the problem, the better the customer will perceive your solution. Take care of it right away, the right way, and turn your client around.
And a little more – Now take another technician, or you, and do a little more than you promised. Replace the windshield wiper blades, the air filter, the cabin filter, add a nice smell to the car, vacuum it out, give them a free car wash or oil change for next time, or something unexpectedly great! Customers LOVE extra goodies that they didn’t have to pay for, and that don’t add any time to their service.
Now that the problem is fixed – FAST – you probably think you’re done with making the service better. And you’d be right – if customer satisfaction was your aim.
But it’s not!
You want a customer to refer you business, right? So there’s one more thing you have to do to earn this referral:
Personally follow-up with the customer with a phone call AND a handwritten note – Take a few minutes and call your customer to make sure she’s satisfied with the service resolution and thanking her for her business. Leave a message if you can’t reach her. And send a handwritten note, saying the same things you did on the phone, and including a business card with your direct number. When’s the last time YOU got a handwritten note in your mailbox? Do you even remember? Your customers can’t either, which is the exact reason you want to do this.
Isn’t that a lot better than just saying “I’m sorry” to your customers?
Now it’s your turn: Have you got a story with a lesson for Reman University? Got a tough problem or solution you want to share with the world?