April 10, 2009, Newsletter Issue #205: The Customer Is Always Right

Tip of the Week

That phrase has been drilled into our heads: the customer is always right. As a business owner, you may personally not believe that to be true. But professionally, this mantra is what will keep you in business.

Compensate: If a customer calls in with a complaint about your service, make sure your reps are quick to apologize for the inconvenience. There should be no arguing about whether the incident was the fault of the customer or the company. By default, it is always your company’s fault!

Your policy should include offering some sort of compensation for the situation. If the customer was without cable for a day, knock off a day’s worth of billing costs. If the customer’s cell phone doesn’t work, ask them to return it for a new one.

Negotiate: If, after attempting to resolve the situation, the customer service rep finds the customer is still angry and wants to stop using your service, keep negotiating. Never let a customer walk away. Offer payment options, additional services at a discount or free, or special rates. Do whatever is necessary (within reason) to keep the customer.

At the end of the day, if you have done everything you can to resolve customer complaints, you will be rewarded. The customers who came in with ruffled feathers will leave soothed and calm, and they will tell their friends about the great service you gave them. Then the friends come, and they tell their friends, and so on!

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