Unfortunately, as small business owners, situations that involve unhappy customers are bound to happen.
So, how do small business entrepreneurs handle unhappy customers? Is the customer always right? What if a business owner has done everything to correct a situation and the customer is still not happy? #HandmadeChat this week involved a discussion of all of these questions. Red-hot tips from contributors spoke loudly of strength in handling these situations. Here is a sample from the chat:
HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT WHEN A CUSTOMER COMPLAINS ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE?
- Listen to your customers!
- React ASAP and acknowledge the customer’s unhappiness.
- Do not apologize for a problem until it has been researched.
- Be honest, and definitely do not make excuses. Customers can sniff out dishonesty.
- Apologize where needed and offer to correct the situation.
DO YOU LIVE BY THE MANTRA THAT, “THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT?” WHY OR WHY NOT?
- It is up to you as a #smallbiz owner to determine if complaints are a one-time occurance, or if preventable.
- Some customers are simply difficult to please.
- They are not always right. But they always think they are right, so Im always polite. Polite is important
- I don’t live by “Cust is always right.” Live by, “Cust always deserves to be heard, treated fairly.”
- Take a minute to breath before responding to a phone call or email
I believe in turning a negative into a positive, so I love this parting #HandmadeChat thought: Smile, knowing that you have experienced a new situation and have gained #CEO experience! (The best part of it!)
You may download the entire transcript of the discussion here.
The next #HandmadeChat will be held August 16, 8pm ET, lead by La Shonda Tyree, “How To Prepare For The Holiday Season.” It is right around the corner!
Annie’s Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps is winding down. I facilitated this week’s #HandmadeChat as @PenAndInkSpot, my new Twitter and business name (Pen and Ink Spot). My new (not quite in full service yet) blog is located here. Soon, I will discuss the focus of Pen and Ink Spot. I am excited that book writing is a big part of it!
Annies Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps 
I treat the customer as if it were me on the other end. Yes, I listen and seek to fix whatever is the problem. And, occasionally, I do make mistakes. But, the worse is the shipping problems. What to do if they don’t receive their order? I send it again! This is the toughie for me!!
I can honestly say I have never had that happen, Kathleen. So, you send the order, and have confirmation that you sent it, yet, the customer says they did not receive it?
In nearly five years of operating Annie’s Goat Hill, I (happily) can report that I received only two complaints. Both were frustrating. One was extremely so because the customer supplied both a bad phone number and email address. I was unable to call or email the customer once I discovered I needed additional information to process their order. I finally resorted to snail mail but not before I was accused of running an “un-ethical, typical to this era, business.” Sometimes, no-matter how positive and diligent we are, we lose out. As I said, though, challenges teach us to be strong and help us to be able to handle the next bump in the road with greater finesse.
Do you agree?
Our experience with unhappy customers were mainly when selling goats though but those days are over now though, we have 6 goats now but that is soon to change though, a young boy took 5 of our goats on Saturday.
Amy
It was a great chat and there was some really great information that everyone shared. It is a fine balance as a small biz owner trying to please everyone.
I agree, a fine balance, and close to the heart because we have the advantage of developing communities with our customers, closer relationships, not just phone answering customer service types!
I love Kathleen’s comment about treating the customer as if it was her on the receiving end of the treatment. I’ll have to remember that — great sound bite. This is a super summary, Mary, thank you for sharing. I love your approach to customer service. You are always so polite and respectful. It has served you well at Annie’s Goat Hill and I know it will continue to serve you well in your new venture too!
I look at challenges as something to grow by, not something to take negatively. When you take on that type of mindset, I think it reflects in customer service. Thanks, dM! I hope it does continue to serve me well.